Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

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.

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writer:

Allan Loeb

Stars:

Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, Alison Lohman

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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)

Storyline

Grief, recovery, and human contact. Brian is a great guy - a sweet father, a good husband, and a loyal friend to his boyhood pal Jerry who's a junkie. When tragedy strikes, Jerry tries to help Brian's wife and children cope, and Audrey, Brian's widow, tries to help Jerry kick the habit. Loss and addiction are stubborn. The story starts on the day of the funeral, with Brian appearing in flashbacks. A neighbor's divorce, a dinner party that includes a young woman from the Narcotics Anonymous group Jerry attends, and thinking back to a fire in Brian and Audrey's garage give the story texture.

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Plot Keywords:

recovery | narcotics anonymous | garage | dinner | best friend | 

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Taglines:

Hope comes with letting go.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount [France] Paramount [United States]

Country:

USA UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nos souvenirs brûlés

Filming Locations:

Kitsilano, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,561,949, 21 October 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$3,287,315

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Neal Street Productions, Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Goofs

When Jerry meets Kelly, he unlocks his bike and turns it 180 degrees, but when he rides away on the sidewalk, he is headed the original direction in which the bike was parked.

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Quotes

Harper Burke: Why is Grandma sleeping all day?
Audrey Burke: She's sedated.
Harper Burke: I don't know what that means, Mom.
Audrey Burke: She's taking pills to help her sleep. She lost her son, Harper. That's the worst pain anyone can go through.
Harper Burke: Worse than losing your dad?

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Connections

Featured in A Discussion About 'Things We Lost in the Fire' (2008)

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Soundtracks

Black Napkins
Written & Performed by Frank Zappa
Courtesy of The Zappa Family Trust

User Reviews

Wow!

While the movie itself was very even-paced throughout, it allowed time to process the emotions that were being conveyed so the slower-pace worked. This movie- everything from storyline to characters- was amazing and thought provoking. I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to see a movie full of heart, brilliant acting, and a unique storyline. The wonderful acting didn't stop with Halle and Benecio either- the supporting characters including the children were fantastic! There was simply so much heart and likability in those roles. It is the type of movie that remains your head even after you leave the theater which for me, doesn't happen often.