Things We Lost in the Fire

Plot

A recent widow invites her husband's troubled best friend to live with her and her two children. As he gradually turns his life around, he helps the family cope and confront their loss.

Release Year: 2007

Rating: 7.2/10 (15,539 voted)

Critic's Score: 63/100

Director:
Susanne Bier

Stars: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, Alison Lohman

Storyline
Grief, recovery, and human contact. Brian is a great guy – a sweet father, a good husband, and a loyal friend to his boyhood pal Jerry who's a junkie. When tragedy strikes, Jerry tries to help Brian's wife and children cope, and Audrey, Brian's widow, tries to help Jerry kick the habit. Loss and addiction are stubborn. The story starts on the day of the funeral, with Brian appearing in flashbacks. A neighbor's divorce, a dinner party that includes a young woman from the Narcotics Anonymous group Jerry attends, and thinking back to a fire in Brian and Audrey's garage give the story texture.

Cast:

Halle Berry
–

Audrey Burke

Benicio Del Toro
–

Jerry Sunborne

David Duchovny
–

Brian Burke

Alexis Llewellyn
–

Harper Burke

Micah Berry
–

Dory Burke

John Carroll Lynch
–

Howard Glassman

Alison Lohman
–

Kelly

Robin Weigert
–

Brenda

Omar Benson Miller
–

Neal

Paula Newsome
–

Diane

Sarah Dubrovsky
–

Spring

Maureen Thomas
–

Grandma Ginnie Burke

Patricia Harras
–

Howard's Wife

V.J. Foster
–

Distressed Man

(as VJ Foster)

Caroline Field
–

Teresa Haddock

(as Carolyn Field)

Taglines:
Hope comes with letting go.

Details

Official Website:
Paramount [France] |
Paramount [United States] |

Release Date: 19 October 2007

Filming Locations: Kitsilano, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office Details

Budget: $16,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $1,561,949
(USA)
(21 October 2007)
(1142 Screens)

Gross: $3,287,315
(USA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Release prints were shipped to some theaters under the fake title "Water".

Quotes:

Audrey Burke:
What you did today broke my heart.

Jerry Sunborne:
What did I do?

Audrey Burke:
You got Dory to put his head under the water.

Jerry Sunborne:
Oh, that was just a cute trick…

Audrey Burke:
He's six. Harper put hers under when she was only three. It was something that Brian tried and tried to get Dory to do, but he couldn't. And that victory today of getting Dory's head to go under was not supposed to be YOURS. It wasn't meant for you to have that moment. And for me, watching you was like this, this…

Jerry Sunborne:
I'm sorry.

User Review

Great Story, Great Acting and Directing!!

Rating: 9/10


Saw this last evening at a preview screening here in Arizona and it was
a LOT heavier than the trailer leads you to believe, which, I for one,
was grateful for! Granted, this is only MY opinion, but I think that
Halle does some of her best work in a long time here and for me, ranks
up there with Monster's Ball and Losing Isaiah. Of course, Benecio is a
great pleasure to watch as always, playing the demonized friend of
David Duchovny, but I think Halle rises just a notch up everything here
and truly shines! The supporting cast is also really enjoyable to
watch, especially John Carroll Lynch playing a next door neighbor who
finds an unlikely friend in Benecio's character. Great camera work and
great direction all the way around and although the film is a bit long,
I am glad the director had the wisdom not to rush through the story.
Great film and I cannot wait to purchase it on DVD!