Things We Lost In The Fire (2007)

Things We Lost In The Fire (2007) Movie Review

One of the misplaced gems from the 2007 movie vault. In the movie, David Duchovny's character says "Accept the Good". Yes, the movie is good.



Storyline:

Things We Lost In The Fire is a terse drama revolving around the lives of two people joined by fate rather than friendship. Halle Berry is the emotionally distraught wife coming into grips with the sudden, tragic death of her beloved husband. First she goes into Denial, then Anger, followed by Bargaining, and Depression and finally Acceptance. Benicio Del Toro stars as the elegantly wasted drug fiend / angel who loves life but is playing with death. Don't expect any "uppers" from this tear jerker movie.


Cast Performance:

All the main characters put up realistic, memorable performances, including the child actors. The lack of glamorous make-up for the cast gives "Things We Lost In The Fire" a very edgy, gritty feel.


Production Values:

Intelligent scripting, great movie direction by talented Danish director Susanne Bier (Brothers), and cinematography. Great rock soundtrack by Gustavo Santoalalla & Johan Soderqvist.



Things We Lost In The Fire: Movie Review: Advisory for Children & Moral Themes:

Not for young children because of drug content and language.
Benicio chain-smokes throughout the movie.

Teens should see this movie as it gives an accurate portrayal of what drug addiction is all about. It provides a very graphic account of The Intense Drug Cravings, What Addicts Must Do To Pay for the Drugs, Dealing with the Pusher, The Fix, The High, The Heroin Hell (The Symptoms of Drug Withdrawal), The Rehabilitation and unfortunately often also, The Relapse.

Although the movie is about drugs, it is an anti-drug movie. In the movie, Benicio's character describes his first heroin encounter as "a kiss from God". However, this high is never reached again even with higher lethal doses. The higher the dosage, the lower is the satisfaction. Either you stop or you die. Sometimes a drug death has a good side - it is a wake up call and saves the life of another drug addict. Even with rehabilitation, things usually don't get back to normal. You will have to face the downside and build a new life which is very different from the life before drugs. Living one day at a time.

On the positive side, it depicts drug addiction as treatable mental disease rather than a character weakness. This means that it is possible for people to break free from the chains of addiction with proper medical assistance, counseling and the help of the family, friends and the community. "Things We Lost In The Fire" is peppered with some very moving motivational advice like the "Serenity Prayer", etc. Turn on your English subtitles so as not to miss out on these excellent motivational thoughts.

Things We Lost In The Fire is also about how to overcome the loss of our love ones by first accepting the loss, then remembering all the good things we shared with our departed love ones and finally seeking closure by getting on with our new lives.

Life goes on, no matter how bad or tough it once was.

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