There's a rub though. Audrey can't comprehend why her husband has remained friends with his childhood chum Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), a drug addict who lives in the dangerous part of town and who can't seem to shake his destructive habit. But Steven is loyal to Jerry and wouldn't have it any other way. Audrey has trouble hiding her distain for Jerry and resentment of the occasional time Steven spends with him.
As seemed typical of Steven's generous nature, he comes to the aid of a woman who is being violently beaten by her husband on the sidewalk whilst Steven is going to get ice cream for his family. As a result of being a good Samaritan, Steven is murdered.
On the day of the funeral, in shock and deep grief, Audrey suddenly realizes she should let Jerry know. Since he doesn't have a phone, Audrey sends her brother Neal (Omar Benson Miller) to get Jerry and bring him to her home so he can attend services. She knew Steven would have wanted Jerry there but she is, nonetheless, still repulsed by this seedy character and his despicable addiction.
After a time, as Audrey and the children continue to struggle with their grief, Audrey invites Jerry to come live in their garage apartment nominally in exchange for him doing the "manly" chores around the house. To me, it felt as though Audrey wanted to be near Jerry, despite her loathing him, because Jerry carried a part of her beloved Steven with him. The two men had been friends even before Audrey knew Steven. Perhaps she wanted to capture the essence of Steven from the presence of Jerry in whatever way she could in this kind of platonic relationship.
Jerry and the children grow close and he serves in many was as a surrogate father to them -- a role that sometimes leaves Audrey angry and bitter that Steve's job has been usurped. Jerry continues to struggle mightily with his recovery from addiction with the help of Steven's jogging buddy, Howard (John Carroll Lynch), and Kelly (Alison Lohman), a young woman who reaches out to Jerry at the NA meetings he attends.
Both Audrey and Jerry are sympathetic and believable characters. Del Toro's portrayal of a recovering addict is powerful and authentic.
Directed by Susanne Bier.
Rated R for drug content and language.
My personal rating: B+
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