Review of Things We Lost in the Fire (2007) by Karly A — 17 Feb 2010

While not perfect, this drama presents a very realistic portrait of two people who have, in their own ways, lost everything. Halle Berry plays Audrey, whose husband has died tragically, and Benicio Del Toro plays her husband's best friend, Jerry, a recovering heroin addict. They forge a complex relationship throughout the film, with many subtle shades as they help each other recover, and learn to save themselves. The story is very solid and shows well the complexities of relationships and human nature, but on occasion the direction, which is especially nonlinear at the beginning, is not utilized to best portray it. But the movie is carried beautifully by the poignant performances by both Berry and Del Toro, and their struggles feel very human.

I do wish the story continued just a bit further, even though the 2 hour running time is a bit long, it feels like more could have been packed in, but in a general sense, it is a very heartfelt drama, and succeeds where it counts.