DreamWorks Pictures and Neal Street Productions present an R rated film with an approximate running time of almost two hours directed by Susanne Bier and Starring 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) with Robin Weigert (Brenda), Omar Benson Miller (Neal), Paula Newsome (Diane), Patricia Harras (Howard's wife) and Sarah Dubrovsky (Spring).
Is the human body truly florescent, meaning lit from within? Is it the human spirit that shines through the outer layers of skin looking from within as a way to release itself into another place in time? This film is truly darker and deeper in context than I thought based on the trailers but it is a reflection of life and death and the people that occupy the inner space in which each and everyone of us dwell in on a daily basis.
Audrey and Brian have a beautiful home, two children, Harper ten years old and Dory, six years. Good neighbors like Howard, who happens to hate his wife and old childhood friends like Jerry who Brain grew up with since the age of two. Audrey never did like Jerry due to his lifestyle of smoking, heroine and lack of responsibilities. How does a lawyer go from being successful to becoming a drug addict? How does a married woman with two beautiful children cope with the loss of her husband, the children's father, the love of her life?
The film deals with flashback moments from the funeral of Brian to the life he lived to the reason of his death. Even though there are some very heavy scenes of Jerry dealing with his addiction the writers still manage to bring in levity through Brian's character as he lives his life with Audrey and the kids. Harper a remarkable young actress is a vegetarian who believes "meat is murder" matches wit with her father on a daily basis. Dory who could actually be the true sibling to Harper beyond the big screen with the wavy hair and bright smile is the cutest boy filled with enormous talent. But the true characters in this film are Audrey and Jerry as they not only deal with their own addictions but with that of each others as they forge a relationship with each other, the children, family and friends.
Audrey is both strong and supportive but yet tender and loving. Jerry is a lost soul looking for a reason to change his life and finds it in the Burke family after his dearest friend Brian is killed. One day when Brian went out to run an errand it not only ended his life but changed the lives of the people who loved him. Sometimes in the time of loss people reach out to the ones they cared the least for as did Audrey to Jerry. He moves into the refurbished from fire garage upon Audrey's request in order to help her financially. Although we learn it was not the real reason she gave him since Brian was a good developer and made sure she was set for life. Moments of pity, anger and self worth are presented throughout the film as all the characters deal with their loss. I'm sure everyone who has lost a loved one has felt like you were living within a sad movie wishing that you could change the story line once again making it happy.
It is sometimes the ones we think will help us the least that are the ones that show us there is life still worth living and that remembering is not the wrong thing to do. In life we tend to value the material things that surround our lives. This film helps you remember that it is the fact we have each other that is the most valuable aspect of the air we breathe on a daily basis. But in the end we must always remember to "accept the good" and live one day at a time.
Halle Berry shined in this role and proved that she is without a doubt a phenomenal dramatic actress. Del Toro who showed the inner demons of how life can change with the blink of an eye or the stroke of an ear will take you up and down a roller coaster ride of emotions leading you from the darkest depths of hell to the beauty of life. Brilliant writing and superb direction of course helped to move this film throughout its dark and deepest moments but it was the lead actors with the help of a great supporting cast that makes this film worthy of your time. The story will leave you questioning the meaning of life and death albeit giving you the hope of learning just how to let go and move forward.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.