What We Lost In The Fire

[Mankind]

This film is about a junkie (Benicio Del Toro) who moves in with a woman (Halle Berry) after her husband (David Duchovny), his best friend, dies, and tries to kick his habit there. Del Toro is captivating to watch, but to be honest nothing really happens in the film. I have a great deal of patience for films, but this pushed it to the limit. There is a strong theme of forgiveness, getting over the death of a loved one, but not much substance. The dialogue is unrealistic and seems to be written to fit the story as opposed to happening as a consequence of the story.

If you like the sound of cigarette-sucking you will like this film, as Del Toro smokes pretty much constantly and for some reason the volume of the aforementioned sucking is increased by 1000%.

This is a boring, pointless film really.

[Detomah]

I've been a bit torn as to whether I want to watch this or not. I'm a bit of a fan of David Duchovny, loved his performances in pretty much everything he's been in but especially Evolution and Californication, but seeing as he dies in this film, not sure if i'll actually bother.

[Mankind]

Me too, but he's in it for about 10 minutes total.

It got 65% on rottentomatoes. There are a few comments like this

Susanne Bier's first English-language film is a superbly written, powerfully emotional drama with terrific, Oscar-worthy performances from Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro.

but I am more inclined to agree with ones like this

Emotionally fraudulent was the phrase that kept rattling around in my head as I watched the latest chapter in the Interminable American Narrative of Forgiving, Redemption and Understanding.

[teflon]

Yeah I read some reviews that said it was over-sentimentalist portentious 'worthiness' and it didn't really appeal to me. Although Del Torro is cool and Berry is hawt, I personally can't stand that smug fool Mulder and his Californication series almost made me sick.