Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writer (WGA):

Allan Loeb (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Hope comes with letting go.

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.

Plot Keywords:

Addiction | Grief | Dinner | Recovery | Garage

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

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)
Marlies Dick	...	Police Officer
Todd Charles Mosher	...	Police Officer
James Lafazanos	...	Arnie
Liam James	...	Cousin Dave
Quinn Lord	...	Cousin Joel
Alejandro Chavarria	...	Backyard Kid
Ken Tremblett	...	Brenda's Husband
Hilary Strang	...	N.A. Meeting Director
Jessica McLeod	...	Harper's Friend
Victoria Campbell	...	Harper's Friend
Gerry Rousseau	...	John in Alley
Abraham Jedidiah	...	Mr. Skopes
Adrian Hough	...	N.A. Meeting Man
Kendall Cross	...	N.A. Meeting Person
Lorena Gale	...	N.A. Meeting Person
R. Nelson Brown	...	N.A. Meeting Person (as rnelsonbrown)
Hakan Coskuner	...	Alvin the Addict
James R. Baylis	...	Misunderstood Dealer
Anonymous	...	N.A. Serenity Prayer Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Hanlon	...	Ray (uncredited)
Amanda Marier	...	Narcotics Anonymous Woman (uncredited)
John Andrew Vaas	...	Addict (uncredited)
Geoff White	...	Crackhead (uncredited)

Directed by
Susanne Bier

Writing credits (WGA)
Allan Loeb		(written by)

Produced by
Pippa Harris	....	executive producer
Barbara Kelly	....	co-producer
Allan Loeb	....	executive producer
Sam Mendes	....	producer
Sam Mercer	....	producer

Original Music by
Johan Söderqvist

Cinematography by
Tom Stern		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pernille Bech Christensen
Bruce Cannon

Casting by
Debra Zane
Heike Brandstatter		(uncredited)
Coreen Mayrs		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Richard Sherman

Art Direction by
Geoff Wallace

Set Decoration by
Dominique Fauquet-Lemaitre

Costume Design by
Karen L. Matthews		(as Karen Matthews)

Makeup Department
Ian C. Ballard	....	key hair stylist (as Ian Ballard)
Rick Glassman	....	dental special effects: Mr. Del Toro (as Rick Glassman D.D.S.)
Norma Hill-Patton	....	makeup artist: Ms. Berry
Connie Parker	....	key makeup artist
Jessica Rain	....	assistant hair stylist
Gail Rowell-Ryan	....	hair stylist: Mr. Del Toro (as Gail Ryan)
Debra Wiebe	....	hair stylist: Ms. Berry
C.J. Wills	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Abby Callahan	....	post-production supervisor (as Abigail Callahan)
Barbara Kelly	....	unit production manager
Paul A. Levin	....	post-production supervisor (as Paul Levin)
Mark Graziano	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Barry	....	first assistant director
Misha Bukowski	....	second assistant director
Philip Nee Nee	....	third assistant director
Rhonda Taylor	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Don Anderson	....	property buyer
Victoria Balharry	....	graphic artist
Derek Bobroff	....	on-set painter
Raul Casillas	....	lead set dresser
Anthony Chruszcz	....	set dresser
Graham Coutts	....	property master
Jennifer Donaldson	....	assistant art director (as Jenny Donaldson)
Keith Esch	....	paint foreperson
Larry Gonsalves	....	set dresser
Gillian Goodman	....	assistant property master (as Gill Goodman)
Jim Green	....	chief greensperson
Alan Hemsworth	....	lead greensperson
Scott Holburn	....	set dresser
Randal Holden	....	construction foreperson (as Randal James Holden)
Sheri Hunter-Locke	....	assistant set decorator
Leonardo Lara	....	on-set dresser
Shannon McFarlane	....	set dresser
Chris Thompson	....	construction coordinator
Mario Tomas-Niedworok	....	paint coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
James Bailey	....	foley artist (as Jim Bailey)
Karen Baker Landers	....	supervising sound editor
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor (as Dino R. DiMuro)
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Nerses Gezalyan	....	sound mixer
Per Hallberg	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Hegeman	....	sound effects editor (as Daniel Hegeman)
Eric Hirsch	....	sound re-recordist
Craig S. Jaeger	....	supervising foley editor
Chris Jargo	....	adr editor
Bradley Kita	....	sound assistant (as Brad Kita)
James Kusan	....	production sound mixer
Avi Laniado	....	sound mix engineer
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Anna MacKenzie	....	supervising adr editor
Craig Mann	....	mix technician
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Philip D. Morrill	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Negrete	....	assistant sound editor (as Tony R. Negrete)
Nancy Nugent	....	dialogue editor (as Nancy Nugent Title)
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frederick H. Stahly	....	dialogue editor
Peter Staubli	....	sound effects editor
Shane Stoneback	....	sound re-recordist
Brett Voss	....	foley mixer
Drew Webster	....	mix technician
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Tony Wyman	....	boom operator
David Young	....	audio engineer (as David M. Young)
Xavier Horan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Albert Thrower	....	assistant supervisor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Alex Burdett	....	special effects coordinator
Adam Tayler	....	special effects technician
Kai Hirvonen	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Danny Albano	....	digital compositor: Technicolor Digital Services
Mary E. Manning	....	pre-visualization artist: Illusion Arts
Erin L. Nelson	....	digital restoration
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration

Stunts
James Bamford	....	stunts
Simon Burnett	....	stunts
Jon Kralt	....	stunt coordinator
Gerald Paetz	....	stunts
Wade Simmons	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandes Ashe	....	first assistant photographer
Tony Derkach	....	dolly grip operator
Glen A. Dickson	....	camera operator (as Glen Dickson)
Gareth Farfan	....	on-set rigger
Rod Feldmeier	....	chief rigging technician
Jeremy Giles	....	grip
Doane Gregory	....	still photographer
Braden Haggerty	....	underwater camera operator
Sean M. Harding	....	first assistant photographer (as Sean Harding)
Carl Jensen	....	second company grip
Andrei Jercan	....	camera trainee
Dave Joshi	....	video coordinator
Saubrie Mohamed	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Saubrie Said Mohamed)
Kevin O'Leary	....	generator operator
Jason Raschke	....	second company grip
Jean-Marc Saldini	....	second assistant photographer
Pawel Sedzimir	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Bryce Shaw	....	dolly grip
Bill Stefandis	....	grip (as Bill Stefanidis)
Morten Søborg	....	camera operator (as Morten Soborg)
Owen Taylor	....	chief lighting technician
Tony Thorpe	....	grip
John Westerlaken	....	first company grip
Tyler Woeste	....	second assistant photographer (as Tyler L. Woeste)
Ian Seabrook	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Leon Serginson	....	leadman grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Andrea Brown	....	background casting
Leslee Feldman	....	casting executive
Tiffany Mak	....	casting assistant
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Peter Mulholland	....	extras casting assistant
Leah Nelson	....	casting assistant
Trica Thompson	....	casting assistant
Tannis Vallely	....	casting associate
Adam Cook	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marnie Ander	....	costumer
Steve Holloway	....	costume supervisor
Jana MacDonald	....	assistant costume designer (as Jana Rayne MacDonald)

Editorial Department
Jill Bogdanowicz	....	digital intermediate colorist: Technicolor Digital Intermediate
Brian Boyd	....	digital preview colorist
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Rasmus Gitz	....	assistant editor (as Rasmus Gitz-Johansen)
Shaun Paul Gordon	....	post-production coordinator (as Shaun Gordon)
Julia Iriarte	....	editing production assistant
Bruce Lomet	....	digital intermediate producer: Technicolor Digital Intermediate
Julia Nessling-Douglas	....	digital intermediate producer: Technicolor Digital Intermediate (as Julia Nessling)
Francis Power	....	post-production coordinator
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Shelly Theaker	....	assistant editor
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor: Technicolor Digital Intermediate (as Everette Jbob Webber)
Justin Bourret	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)
Thor Roos	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
David Richard Campbell	....	conductor (as David Campbell)
David Richard Campbell	....	score arranger (as David Campbell)
John Carbonara	....	assistant music editor
Troy Halderson	....	score recordist
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Anibal Kerpel	....	score co-producer
Wolfram Koessel	....	contractor
Suzana Peric	....	music editor (as Suzana Períc)
Bettie Ross	....	supervising music copyist
Gustavo Santaolalla	....	composer: themes
Gustavo Santaolalla	....	performer: ronroco and guitars

Transportation Department
Jake Callihoo	....	transportation coordinator (as Jake Calihoo)
Herb Langill	....	driver
Dean Rama	....	transportation captain
Fred Stephens	....	transportation co-captain
Terence Chase	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jodi Arneson	....	assistant: Ms. Bier
Irene Astle	....	accounting clerk
Monty Bannister	....	location manager
Sean F. Barth	....	consultant: product placement (as Sean Barth)
Doreen Beaulac	....	assistant accountant
Bob Bedard	....	caterer: Cinema Scenes
Richard Bloom	....	assistant: Ms. Bier
Paul Bois	....	production assistant
Chad Bretschneider	....	production assistant
Glen M. Burton	....	security: Halle Berry
Jill Christensen	....	production coordinator
Zarah Chun	....	craft service (as Zara Chun)
Zarah Chun	....	first aid (as Zara Chun)
Tara B. Cook	....	executive: Neal Street (as Tara Cook)
Shannon Corrie	....	production assistant
Kendall Cross	....	acting coach
Bobby Crowder	....	production assistant
Peter Cummings	....	clearance/product placement coordinator
Gloria Davies	....	unit publicist
Patrick Delanty	....	assistant: Ms. Berry
Erin Dixon	....	production assistant
Jim Dunlap	....	assistant accountant
Dave Edmondson	....	production assistant
Sarah Estacaille	....	production assistant
Bill Gauthier	....	production assistant
Heather Gittens	....	assistant production coordinator
René González	....	projectionist (as Rene Gonzalez)
Marlene Hoeflich	....	stand-in
Joseph M. Horrigan	....	consultant: athletic performance (as Dr. Joe Horrigan)
Anand Kanna	....	assistant location manager
Leslie Knoll	....	accounting clerk
Dan Kuzmenko	....	assistant location manager
Laurent Lambert	....	assistant: Mr. Mendes
Alex LeBlanc	....	production assistant
Milly Leigh	....	assistant: Mr. Mendes
Marco Leone	....	assistant: Mr. Mercer
Sandra Matossi	....	production accountant
Dwane McIsaac	....	chef
Blair Miller	....	assistant production coordinator
Tessa Mol	....	production assistant
Hector Navarro	....	stand-in
Jane Nickels	....	technical advisor
Trina Ogryzek	....	production assistant
Kate Pierpoint	....	dialect coach
Sheila Rogers	....	tutor
Jennifer E. Ryan	....	tutor (as Jennifer Ryan)
Alan Shaterian	....	research consultant: Mr. Del Toro
Chris Smith	....	production assistant
Richard Smith	....	assistant: Ms. Harris
Cam Staples	....	production assistant
Marie-Louise Stares	....	production assistant (as Mary-Louise Stares)
Helga Ungurait	....	script supervisor
Rhona Williscroft	....	assistant production coordinator
Terry Wong	....	production assistant
John Zubatiuk	....	location scout (as Jonathan Zubatiuk)
Vincent Dela Luna	....	scout (uncredited)
Stacey Harris	....	first assistant coordinator (uncredited)
Gordon Juli	....	security (uncredited)
Valerie Morris	....	clearances assistant (uncredited)
Damien Simonklein	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Shelly Strong	....	production executive (uncredited)
Larry Tardif	....	insert car operator (uncredited)
Mike Witherington	....	security (uncredited)
Christine Yanish	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DreamWorks Pictures (presents)
• Neal Street Productions (producer)
• DreamWorks SKG

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (2008) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Digital Intermediates (opticals)

Other Companies

• AVID  acknowledgment (as Avid)
• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)  acknowledgment (as ACTRA)
• British Columbia Film Commission  the producers wish to thank
• Canada Film Capital  tax incentive consulting services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Cinema Scenes Catering  catering (as Cinema Scenes)
• City of Vancouver Film Department and Special Events  the producers wish to thank (as City of Vancouver Film Office)
• Clinton Recording Studios  score mixed at
• Clinton Recording Studios  score recorded at
• DGC  acknowledgment (as The Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia District Council)
• Deluxe  prints by (as Deluxe®)
• Hollywood Camera  additional camera equipment
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Kodak Canada  motion picture film (as Kodak)
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Legacy Recording Studios  score mixed at
• Pacific Title  title design
• Panavision  cameras & lenses (as Panavision®)
• Paramount Pictures  courtesy of ('Sunset Boulevard' footage)
• Province of British Columbia  with the participation of (as The Province of British Columbia)
• Runway  post-production
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recorded at
• SportsBrandedMedia  sports product placement
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  opticals
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  sound re-recorded at (as Todd-AO West)
• Union of B.C. Performers  acknowledgment (as UBCP)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for drug content and language

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | UK:15 | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | USA:R (certificate #43485) | Netherlands:12 | Taiwan:R-18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 | France:U | Norway:11 | Sweden:7 | Japan:PG-12 | Argentina:13 | New Zealand:M | Australia:MA | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

Kitsilano, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

DreamWorks Pictures

Trivia:

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

Quotes:

Audrey Burke:What's heroin like?
Jerry Sunborne:Do you hear that expression being kissed by God?

Movie Connections:

References E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Soundtrack:

X-Altation

Things We Lost in the Fire - Oscar Worthy Acting

Phenomenal acting and a riveting story make Things We Lost in the Fire a must-see film, and an early Academy Award contender for an acting nod to Benicio Del Toro. While the film is deceptively simple, with few sets, fewer characters, and a non-sequential storyline, it is a powerful acting showcase for its impressive cast.

Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) has lost her husband Steven (David Duchovny) in a senseless murder. A few days later, the fast approaching funeral reminds her that she forgot to invite her husband's best friend Jerry Sunborne (Benicio Del Toro), a recovering heroin addict. Audrey is distraught and unable to cope with her loss, and despite her constant disapproval of Jerry and his horrific lifestyle, she invites him to stay in her home, partially to fill up some of the emptiness in her life, and partially because of his pathetic situation. When Jerry begins to fill the shoes of Steven, especially in the eyes of her two young children, Audrey must come to terms with her losses and what Jerry's influential presence may mean to her family.

Halle Berry's character is unable to cope with the loss of her husband, and a major theme that runs throughout the film is how detrimental death can be to family life and friends. She mourns for two hours, and while her contempt for Jerry (and then her slowly increasing appreciation for his presence) makes her a relatively dislikable character initially, her actions are not unbelievable. Berry's performance is powerful and emotional, and while audiences will be divided on whether she deserves sympathy or contempt, it will be unanimous that her acting is Oscar worthy.

Del Toro likewise inspires with his heartfelt and deeply moving Jerry, who doesn't want sympathetic attention, but whose actions demand it. Perhaps given up on by life, he too has given up on beating his addiction, despite his attendance at NA meetings and his once-a-year birthday meeting with Steven, his one and only true friend. It is left open as to how the two met and why they are so close considering their extremely different lives, but their connection and acceptance of each other's positions is perfectly understandable. When he becomes more than just a house guest, unexpected kindness and attention come from the children as well as the slowly softening Audrey. Easily one of the finest performances of the year, Del Toro embodies his drug-riddled and burnt out character with such authenticity and passion that it is also Del Toro's finest performance of his career.

Two factors remain mildly unsettling during the course of Things We Lost in the Fire. Firstly, the camera frequently lingers on extreme close-ups of characters' eyes. Never are both eyes framed, but only one and off-centered to boot, which is not only unusual, but also doesn't convey as much emotion as a larger portion of the face could. Perhaps it is an attempt to be innovative, but it serves no purpose other than to cause the audience to take note of its atypicalness. Secondly, the film jumps back and forth in time. Quite unnecessary for a storyline such as this, which could have utilized flashbacks for Steven instead, this shifting timeframe is not nearly as disorienting as it is unamusing.

A slow moving film that steadily builds as each character is fully fleshed out, Things We Lost in the Fire is a great character study that thrives on exceptionally spectacular performances. Each individual part is outstanding, but in its entirety it doesn't cross boundaries of overall superiority. Definitely worth watching for all of its sensational performances, look for Things We Lost in the Fire during this year's Academy Awards.

- Mike Massie (MoviePulse.net)