Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Susanne Bier's 2007 movie, Things We Lost in the Fire sees Halle Berry as Audrey Burke, a recently widowed woman, who enters into an unexpected relationship with a figure from her late spouse's life. If that sounds at all familiar, it's because there are definite parallels to Berry's 2001 Oscar winning turn in Monster's Ball.With a looming awards season around the corner, it's possible that the studio considered this to be another contender to show off Ms Berry's acting prowess. Following rolls in the likes of Die Another Day, Gothika and her Razzie winning performance in Catwoman, it had perhaps escaped the film watching populous' attention that under some bad career choices, there lies a very capable actor. Bier's film falls short of Oscar bait, but it doesn't have the feel of a film that's desperately trying to be worthy. There's a subtly genuine tone to the performances in the film. What could easily be over sentimentalised, Lifetime drama is a well-handled and compelling tale of love, loss, grief and recovery.Benicio Del Toro performance as Jerry Sunborne, the deadbeat heroin addict whom everyone gave up on, except Burke's late husband, is well nuanced. The depiction of drug addiction is neither overly graphic nor monstrous, or apologist. It's commendable that Bier has taken a subject and showed a more accurate depiction. Those recovering from addiction can be intelligent, educated and liked people. They can be the person next door, or the person who walked past you who in the street and appear to be very average. This criminality of the drug use is most certainly the focus.The building relationship between Sunbourne and his late friend's family is also well restrained. While the temptation might be to create an awkward love interest, the focus is more of the bonds that can be created through shared grief. Despite its themes, the film maintains an optimistic that only occasionally drifts into soppy sentiment.It's far from a perfect affair. The performances from the children will take you out of the drama. They're often clumsy and there's a delivery in many of the lines, which seems far too rehearsed. Do children ever really speak like that? Bier's non-linear story telling is also inconsistent, seemingly dropped half way through the film. The relationship between Sunborne and Brian Burke (adequately performed by David Duchovny) doesn't quite seem believable either, but that's partly because he's too thin a character. The film starts to loose coherence when it comes to the larger story. However, the two central performances and character dynamics are strong enough to win this around.

I have to admit that I was looking for another film when I cam across this one. Being a huge fan of Benicio del Toro I decided to sit down and watch it. Things We Lost In The Fire is a very fine film and the performances of del Toro and Halle Berry were just spot on. The direction of Susanne Bier was perfect and seemed to bring out the best in the actors.The film tells the story of a woman (Berry) who loses her husband ((David Duchovny) when he tries to stop a man from beating his wife. Grief stricken she is really not coping and she asks a friend of her husband Brian, a heroin addict called Jerry Sunborne to stay with her and her two children.This is a story of grief and loss but it is also a story of strength, love and hope. In any other hands, this would be a dreary film indeed but it's not.There are many beautiful and powerful scenes in this film but the best is Benicio del Toro's Jerry going through withdrawal. The scene is heart breaking and quite realistic. Also the scene where Audrey (Berry) finds him in a filthy squat smacked out of his mind.This is definitely one of Benicio del Toro's best films and one worth watching. Sad, yes but also imbued with hope as well. These characters are flawed in their own way. Jerry's addiction, Audrey's anger and difficulty coping with the loss of her gentle and loving husband. I have to say, I am not a huge fan of Halle Berry, but this was her film, she shone out in it. The two actors who played her children, Alexis Llewellyn as Harper Burke and Micah Berry as Dory Burke were outstanding. They both managed to avoid the cutesyness that some child actors have. David Duchovny was wonderful as usual and a special mention to Omar Benson Miller as Neal, Audrey's brother. He was great.I hope that Benicio del Toro makes more films like this in the future.

Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)A probing, emotional, deeply felt, sometimes slow, but necessarily slow movie. I think in some ways it's an astonishing and beautiful attempt to get at some very very basic things about love and loneliness and family needs.I didn't start appreciating it all, and in fact the first five minutes might strike some people as sentimental and false. But this quickly disappears, and the emotions are real. If the music is melancholy and pushing the drama, so be it. It's heavy stuff.The structure is a contemporary commonplace and it sometimes seems confusing but I came to think this was a good thing overall, making you pay attention to a fairly ordinary plot line. And it would allow you to see the movie again. It's got a lot of layers. The music shifts suddenly, the scenes jump from one reference to another, and from one time to another, and things are interrelated just because they all are happening to the same people at the same time, quite naturally.The star by far is an astonishing and humble Benicio Del Toro. He plays an addict, or a recovering addict, and he doesn't overplay it. It's an award winning performance. Next to him is Halle Barry, who rises to the top of her ability, I think. She's perfect as a suffering widow, again not overplaying it. The person who keeps these two at their best has to be the director, Susanne Bier, who I had never heard of. She's a Danish-born director who has several really good films now to her credit which most Americans haven't seen, but one, "Brothers," was so good they made an American remake of it. See the original, which is pretty amazing (as is "After the Wedding").So, if you have the emotional stuff to deal with it, give this a whorl.

If you're going with that feeling "this is going to be an awesome motion picture", I highly recommend you slow down your expectations. On the other hand don't think it's going to be junk, it won't. Don't expect to be extraordinary ... and don't expect it to be trash. If you have something more interesting to do with your time forget about this movie and watch it when you're bored and got nothing to do. That way this movie will be worthy.The story line is somehow boring and non-existent, when it ends feels like you're in the middle expecting more development. Nothing really special with the characters or the story happens from 25 mins-end. On the other hand, the acting and the message is good. This is mainly a "human" movie. Walks around "human" things. The issue of loosing somebody important in our lives, the issue of people hitting the bottom of their lives, the issue of we giving another shot to others, among other things.This isn't great because it just doesn't keep you wishing for the next scene like "and now?? What happens??" like great movies do, so if you are the type of person who usually loves development and a good story, forget about this. On the other hand, if you are interested in human relations, this will be good. Under that aspect, it's very realistic and the acting won't disappoint.So best way to qualify this? Average, somehow enjoyable, but definitely average movie, good to kill some time in a boring Sunday afternoon.