Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

Directed by Susanne Bier. Starring Benicio del Toro, Halle Berry, David Duchovny, Alexis Llewellyn, Micah Berry, John Carroll Lynch, Alison Lohman, Omar Benson Miller, Paula Newsome. [R]

Morose drama of grief and addiction that’s never quite as powerful or moving as it aspires to be. Del Toro and Berry put in the effort and capture moments of raw intensity and existential despair, even if it’s hard not to recognize the actorly tricks they previously put to good use in similarly bleak endeavors of anguish (21 Grams, Monster’s Ball). He’s a recovering drug addict whose childhood friend (Duchovny) dies suddenly, and he moves into the widow’s (Berry) garage, where they travel the path of rehabilitation toward catharsis both together and separately. Script flaws (e.g., did Duchovny’s character have to be depicted as a borderline saint without blemish?), distracting camera choices, and facile environments and solutions hamper the film’s impact, but there are enough challenges and expert performances along the way to make it worth seeking out…provided you’re not in the mood for escapism or laughs. Co-produced by Sam Mendes.

65/100