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All Movie Info
Directed By
Arnaud Desplechin
Written By:
Arnaud Desplechin, Emmanuel Bourdieu
Cast:
Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Anne Consigny, Mathieu Amalric, Melvil Poupaud, Hippolyte Girardot, Emmanuelle Devos, Chiara Mastroianni, Françoise Bertin, Samir Guesmi, Laurent Capelluto, Emile Berling, Thomas Obled, Clément Obled, Azize Kabouche
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A Christmas Tale (2008)
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Movie Review by Jarrod 
December 3rd, 2008
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Now here is a holiday movie worth seeing. 'A Christmas Tale' is a 150-minute French film, which means it will not be widely marketed to American audiences; its title makes it sound like it might come from Eric Rohmer, known for his talkative dramas with richly developed characters, and that is precisely how I would classify this picture, a talkative drama with richly developed characters, and that probably just lessened its appeal. The running time is initially daunting, but the flick is so immediately engaging that 2 ½ hours passed by more or less unnoticed; I was thoroughly absorbed in this charming, funny story of the dysfunctional Vullard family, still reeling from the death of first-born Joseph forty years ago.
His parents, Junon and Abel (Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon), have strained relations with their other children, especially Henri (Mathieu Amalric), the eldest son, who arrives with his Jewish girlfriend Faunia (Emmanuelle Devos). Everyone is gathering for a seasonal celebration following the announcement that Junon has a degenerative form of cancer, and likely does not have long to live. Henri is an irresponsible alcoholic who is not on good terms with any of his relatives, including his sister Elizabeth (Anne Cosigny). Elizabeth is married to Claude (Hippolyte Girardot), and is dealing with her troubled adolescent offspring Paul. Youngest child Ivan (Melvil Poupaud) brings along his wife Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni); also making an appearance is Simon (Laurent Cappelluta), Junon's artist nephew.
Despite being labeled a comedy, the flick conveys a sense of bitterness, resentment, sorrow, and guilt, and all of these emotions are on full display at some point, notably in the interactions between Junon and Henri. Junon admits that she had Henri only because she thought it might save Joseph, and when Joseph died, she blamed Henri, however unfairly, and has simply never cared about him. For Henri, these feelings are apparently mutual. The reunion gives them a chance to reconcile their differences and make amends, though both are quite stubborn and do not easily recognize their mistakes.
Faunia notices a softer, more vulnerable side of Henri, who is concerned for his mother's well-being, and will ultimately volunteer to donate his bone marrow to Junon, a development we come to expect somewhat early on. Elizabeth notices disturbing parallels between Paul and Henri, and these similarities allow Henri to bond with Paul, and help to bring him out of his sullen shell. Writer-director jumps back and forth from one relationship to the other, considering each one on an individual basis before placing it within the broader context of the plot.
The happiest couple seems to be Ivan and Sylvia, but there are secrets that come to the surface that threaten to compromise that happiness. The performances from the colorful ensemble cast are uniformly outstanding. French cinematic grande dame Deneuve is particularly riveting, as is the noble and understated Roussillon. Amalric, fresh from his villainous turn in Quantum of Solace, is terrific as Henri, who is probably the most interesting and complex character. There are some quiet emotional payoffs, keenly observed moments of ritualistic behavior that emphasize the underlying normalcy of this family, despite its problems.
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