Things We Lost in the Fire

Name: Things We Lost in the Fire
Genre: Drama
Released: October 19, 2007
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Alison Lohman, Benicio Del Toro, Halle Berry

2007

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Ratings

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Things We Lost In The Fire

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: October 19, 2007 | R

Starring: Alison Lohman, Benicio Del Toro, Halle Berry

Summary: Audrey Burke's life has been shattered by the sudden death of her husband. In grief, she turns to one of his lifelong friends, Jerry Sunborne, a former lawyer who is on a serious downward spiral. Together they work to repair their lives. (DreamWorks Pictures)

Director: Susanne Bier

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 118 min

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Critic Reviews

Josh Rosenblatt

In the end this movie belongs to Del Toro. He imbues Jerry with such life, such ambiguity, such unsentimental complexity and depth that you can’t help but feel you’re watching the most intricately mapped depiction of addiction and strained humanity the film world has ever given us. Read full review

Jack Mathews

Berry gives a riveting performance, but as a deeply decent man trapped in a hell of his own making, Del Toro gives the kind of career performance Berry gave in "Monster's Ball." Read full review

Peter Travers

Del Toro is the movie's force field. This is a performance you will not forget. Read full review

J.R. Jones

Bier is one of the cinema's most acute observers of intimate relations, her Scandinavian reserve muting the inherent melodrama of her material, and she draws piercing, modestly scaled performances from Duchovny, Del Toro, Alison Lohman, and John Carroll Lynch. Read full review

Wesley Morris

Were there such a thing as a low-carb melodrama, Things We Lost in the Fire would be it - all the tears, half the guilt. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Mr. Del Toro is a fearless actor, and his Jerry, a heroin addict lurching toward redemption, is the heart and soul, as well as the haunted, rubbery visage, of a story of grief and loss that would be fairly lifeless without him. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

Del Toro will probably get an Oscar nod for his Jerry, because the film is so full of Oscar moments, including a cold-turkey detox bit. He rumbles and shivers and screeches and bangs his head on the wall and takes a shower in his clothes. I never believed a second of it. Read full review

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User Reviews

KhalidA.

Nov 4, 2007

This movie ia a raw emotional masterpiece. What it presents is a unflinching, disarmingly honest and authentic portrait of loss, addiction, pain, redemption, and recovery. The performances are simply Sublime. Benicio triumphs as a dark, disturbed and almost irreversibly broken addict that This movie ia a raw emotional masterpiece. What it presents is a unflinching, disarmingly honest and authentic portrait of loss, addiction, pain, redemption, and recovery. The performances are simply Sublime. Benicio triumphs as a dark, disturbed and almost irreversibly broken addict that is at the same time charming, witty, caring and heart-warmingly idiosyncratic. Now Halle Berry is just SUPERB in this movie! Her performance is so raw, unvarnished and searingly honest that it gives you chills. She perfectly embodies a character that in the face of her loss, is realistically complex. She is vulnerable yet icy and prickly, she is needy yet she perfectly portrays her character with justified and realistic ANGER and resentment. And the scenes of face-off between the 2 characters they play are so enthralling and so intense, you can hardly breathe.This is a rare movie, one that really touches you so deeply, that for a while after viewing it you almost cant bring yourself to even move.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Haineswest

Sep 2, 2014

This is a thoroughly engaging depiction of the life that is led by those who struggle with chemical dependency. The characters are entirely believable, the acting is superb, and the dialogue/script writing is so authentic you have to remind yourself you are watching a movie. Every characterThis is a thoroughly engaging depiction of the life that is led by those who struggle with chemical dependency. The characters are entirely believable, the acting is superb, and the dialogue/script writing is so authentic you have to remind yourself you are watching a movie. Every character is flawed, but they are never kept from imparting something good to their relationships, which are equally flawed. Real forgiveness, redemption, and love are given the most valuable opportunities in unlikely places. I believe this is true in real life, and this movie is an excellent portrayal of that truth.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LeonardP.

Oct 21, 2007

Here is proof that most critics have their heads up their asses. this is a remarkable film. Del Toro's performance here equals that of Meryl Streep's in Sophie's Choice.Her's is the best performance ever on screen by a woman and Del Toro's here is the best by a man.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

ChadS.

Oct 23, 2007

Audrey(Halle Berry) allows Jerry (Benicio Del Toro) to spoon with her, in bed, while rubbing her earlobe, and she actually has the audacity to get mad at him when he later tries to kiss her. Audrey is in mourning, which raises this question, "Is cockteasing actions under the influence of Audrey(Halle Berry) allows Jerry (Benicio Del Toro) to spoon with her, in bed, while rubbing her earlobe, and she actually has the audacity to get mad at him when he later tries to kiss her. Audrey is in mourning, which raises this question, "Is cockteasing actions under the influence of anguish constitute a cocktease?" Jerry shouldn't be putting the moves on his dead best friend's wife, but he had her ear. If you're a fan of Berry's crying in "Monster's Ball", she gives a command performance in "Things We Lost in the Fire", a pretty agreeable film, actually, about second acts and second chances. If there's a flaw, it's how Jerry's recovery from heroin steals the film's locus away from Audrey. It feels a little disproportional. Del Toro is terrific, but Berry's character should always be front and center. "Things We Lost in the Fire" tries to do too much.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Eldon

Apr 6, 2008

What a powerful, beautiful movie!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

RichR.

Mar 5, 2008

This movie would have been, should have been great because of Benecio, certainly one of the best American actors out there, if not THE best. For me, he is the next Jack, not afraid to play an ugly guy, able to let his natural charisma shine thru in whatever character he is playing. The This movie would have been, should have been great because of Benecio, certainly one of the best American actors out there, if not THE best. For me, he is the next Jack, not afraid to play an ugly guy, able to let his natural charisma shine thru in whatever character he is playing. The problem, or course, is Halle Berry, who can't act. Her timing, her phrasing, her complete inability to convey any emotion whatsoever, regardless of the script, just murders this movie. Yeah, she's sexy for about five minutes, and so what? But Benecio gives it his all, like he always does; his British equivalent is Paddy Considine.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

EludiumQ36

Aug 4, 2013

Couldn't last 1/4 way through the film, I tried, but it was sssooooooo booooorrrrrrring. David Duchovny should do ads for sleep aids, seriously. This is the type of film you'd expect to find on Lifetime, LMN, O2, Hallmark, etc. In other words, wherever you'd expect to find oldsters, shutins,Couldn't last 1/4 way through the film, I tried, but it was sssooooooo booooorrrrrrring. David Duchovny should do ads for sleep aids, seriously. This is the type of film you'd expect to find on Lifetime, LMN, O2, Hallmark, etc. In other words, wherever you'd expect to find oldsters, shutins, nuns, and the like. I'm one of the fortunate ones that got out only a half hour in. Not. Reco. Mended.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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