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July 24, 2008 11:44:51 PM CDT

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Del Toro's Good; Berry's on Fire

Posted Oct 19, 07 10:15 AM CDT in Gossip,  Arts & Living 

(Newser) – Things We Lost in the Fire, the weepie opening today and starring Halle Berry as a newly bereaved widow and Benicio Del Toro as her heroin-addicted comforter, draws mixed reviews. Most agree with the Chicago Tribune that it's "consistently well acted," awarding special praise to Del Toro. But the movie gets no points for originality.

Stephen Holden of the Times calls it "someone’s misbegotten notion of an upscale art film with commercial appeal." Many reviews hit on the same nagging problems: Berry's ex (David Duchovny) is too saintly, Del Toro is just a little too twitchy, and Berry's hotness is a distraction. "The camera lingers so long and lusciously on its lead actress’s perfect little pores that it quickly starts to resemble a Neutrogena commercial," snipes LA Weekly.

Sources Metacritic, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, LA Weekly

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Actors Halle Berry, left, and Benicio Del Toro attend a Cinema Society hosted screening of "Things We Lost In The Fire", Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)   (Associated Press)
Actress Halle Berry, a cast member in the film "Things We Lost in the Fire," reacts to a reporter's question at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)   (Associated Press)
This photo provided by Paramount Pictures shows Halle Berry, left, and Benicio Del Toro in "Things We Lost in the Fire." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Doane Gregory)   (Associated Press)
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movie  • film  • movie review  • Halle Berry  • Benicio Del Toro  • David Duchovny


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