‘Things We Lost’ offers double helping of sorrow

Cast: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alison Lohman, Alexis Llewellyn, Micah Berry, Howard Glassman

Director: Susanne Bier.

In the sad, brave, unlikely yet compassionate tale that is ‘‘Things We Lost in the Fire,” Jerry (Benicio Del Toro) plays a shaky heroin addict enfolded into an upper-middle class household. Early on, when one of the family’s youngsters presents him with a baffling proposition: ‘‘Dinnertime,” Jerry gropes for meaning, but gathers his courage. ‘‘Let’s do it.” We gather he hasn’t spoken suburban in a long time.

Danish director Susanne Bier (‘‘After the Wedding”) weights the movie at the other end with the Burkes: Brian (David Duchovny), Audrey (Halle Berry) and their children Harper and Dory (Alexis Llewellyn, Micah Berry).

The Burkes speak perfect, loving suburban. Tragedy happens. Audrey finds herself drawn to Jerry, her husband’s childhood friend whom she has loathed and resented for years. That is sort of how the woozy derelict finds himself in a clean room off the garage, with a sweet tot on his knee, wondering what ‘‘dinnertime” means.

Sex will not exactly enter into things, just as the fire of the title does not arrive from an expected direction. Alan Loeb, who wrote the script, understands losses so mutilating that sufferers will cling to shreds and recruit illusions — even if they are ultimately destructive. Under the right conditions of grief, a dissipated failure can seem like a haven of compassion and strength. He has faced the worst and is still breathing.

Well, of course it’s mournful, tragic, faintly pretentious and transparent. Viewers respond to the cascade of emotion with sorrowful faces and obliging nervous laughter. There’s also the real thing. The movie gets it just right here and there. Jerry’s observation on the short course to oblivion is perhaps one of the most seductive descriptions of heroin use I can remember.

Duchovny summons a fine glow. Berry’s luminous beauty, and the camera caresses it receives, tend to be distracting, but she wrings the heart. At one point, she gives her bikini bottom a perfect little sassy snap that begs for a little romantic comedy next, please?

Del Toro, who uses his big physique and heavy face like a young Anthony Quinn, is the best part of the movie. His character’s tragedy will be to absorb the rage and hope of these needy people, and the role will put him through a wringer.

Although the movie is honorable and heartfelt, the chances that ‘‘Things We Lost” will vibrate to widespread sympathy are not good.