Review: Things We Lost In The Fire

Things We Lost In The Fire could so easily have been a TV movie of the week, screened mid-afternoon on ITV; instead, thanks to a powerhouse performance from Benecio del Toro and arguably Halle Berry’s best performance to date, coupled with sensitive direction and intimate photography, it becomes much more than that.

Concerned with Berry’s grief at her husband’s death and her husband’s best friend’s (del Toro) attempt to overcome his drug addiction – and how the two are intertwined - this is an adult movie in the sense that people can be unpredictable: the script often hints at heading down standard Hollywood avenues, but at the last minute pulls aside into another avenue altogether. The many emotional scenes are dealt with a (thankfully) light touch. This is as much a film about a widow’s grief as it is the friendships between men.

Both del Toro and Berry's performances have been largely overlooked in Awards season - meaning the film will probably enjoy a very short theatrical window, so look out for the DVD.
Score: 7/10

Things We Lost In The Fire
IMDb