'Lost' and found

Talk about hard sells. "Things We Lost in the Fire" finds Halle Berry mourning the loss of her husband (played in flashbacks by David Duchovny). No slinky cat suits, no Bond-style swimwear -- good luck tracking down the male demographic.

Still, both genders should give this drama a try. It's far from the formulaic mess it could have been, and Benicio Del Toro provides a devastating as the late husband's tortured pal. Does any actor's face register sorrow as effectively as Del Toro's? The actors' complicated on-screen relationship is the selling point here. It's part awkward romance, part gentle healing, and it rarely registers a false moment. Berry gives as good as she gets, proving her recent string of flops shouldn't make us forget that gleaming statue on her shelf.

Danish director Susanne Bier ("After the Wedding") keeps the melodramatic moments to a minimum. When a few sneak through, the characters are so firmly established the ensuing set consumption is quickly forgiven.

"Things" will likely get overlooked given the bulk of movies out this week, but that doesn't mean it should slink its way to DVD in a few months.

(Photo: Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro share a moment)