THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE NOT ALL ASH AND SOOT Audrey (Halle Berry) and Brian (David Duchovny) have a perfect life, with perfect children and a lovely perfect home; until one day. It is always that "one day" that changes the course of a lifetime, for either good or bad. Then there's Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), Brian's best friend since the second grade. Jerry fell off the path and fell off the wagon. He drank and used drugs and got in all sorts of trouble but Brian was always "there" for him. The one person that Audrey hated the most would end up being the one person who would walk her family through its grief and pain. He is not perfect. He may have a place in the healing, but it isn't always obvious. There was not one bad actor in this film. It was a real group participation and those ties show in the footage. Del Toro is at his best and shows one of the most ugly and painful detox scenes ever. No one jumps in to make a "pretty" film about an addict. The whole movie is like that; not always pretty and perfect. There is a lot of good in this film but it still seems to be lacking something... that something I can't describe. Some scenes get lost in the cinematography while others stand out for lack of production. At points it tries too hard, almost anticipating the tears. It is a good movie even if ingenuine at times.
PICK: Not a perfect film, but the strong performances outweigh the gaps. Del Toro rocks!
