Grief, addiction and friendship emerge as the major themes of Things We Lost in the Fire, a well-meaning melodrama starring Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro. Despite its soapy nature and some very distracting cinematography, this emotional film deserves praise for its top-notch performances and its humanistic treatment of such serious subject matter.

When Audrey Burke’s (Berry) beloved husband (David Duchovny) is murdered, her world suddenly becomes one filled with despair. She has two young children to raise on her own, and it’s a struggle for her to get through each day. Almost on a whim, Audrey invites Jerry (Del Toro), her husband’s best friend, to move into the family’s recently fire-damaged garage, hoping he will somehow be able to help her. The problem? Jerry is a drug addict, and Audrey has always hated him. An unusual relationship develops between Audrey and Jerry, one that’s fascinating to watch as each person sizes up the other. Disappointments and surprises ensue, but the strength of their eventual understanding makes us believe there’s hope for us all.

Berry (Perfect Stranger) excels at showing her character’s depth of suffering, and Del Toro (Traffic) uses every bone in his huge body as well as every muscle in his charismatic face to project the behavior of an addict trying to clean himself up. Anyone who’s gone through a similar experience will find some of the scenes in this movie excruciatingly painful to sit through. Del Toro infuses the withdrawal sequence with such raw realism that I came close to leaving the theater during this part of the film.     

I did, however, break away from the movie emotionally whenever the camera focused on -- and  I’m not kidding -- one eye of a character. For some reason or other, several shots of a single eye appear randomly here. Just imagine how ONE EYE showing on a massive screen looks! How can a viewer concentrate on the plot or the characters when this happens so many times it's difficult to go with the flow of the film? Also, the flashback scenes with Duchovny (X-Files) seem inserted rather awkwardly. As I’ve asked many times before, whatever happened to straightforward storytelling? 

Among the supporting cast, John Carroll Lynch (Zodiac) deserves special mention. Quite sympathetic as a neighbor who takes Jerry under his wing, Lynch also offers the only bit of humor in this ultra-serious movie. And Omar Benson Neal (Lucky You) connects as a friendly but "forced" volunteer watching over Jerry. Also, the youngsters playing Audrey’s children (Alexis Llewellyn and Michah Berry) avoid the “cutesiness” of so many child actors, thereby coming across as real and believable. However, talented Alison Lohman (Big Fish) appears out of place as an annoyingly curious recovering addict.

Much has been made about all the “feel-bad” movies being released lately, and Things We Lost in the Fire certainly contains plenty of moments fitting that description. But, ultimately, this film delivers a message of hope, and that makes me feel good.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated “R” for drug content and language.)