"A Christmas Tale" *** 1\2 (out of ****)
As I did in October for Halloween, this month I will devote to reviewing Christmas themed and religious movies. To start things off I have chosen a film which is currently in theatres. Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale".
If I describe the plot to you, you would say it is either a cynical or sarcastic title, but beneath its surface is a film about the holiday spirit.
Catherine Deneuve, that ageless beauty, stars as Junon Vuillard, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Her husband, Abel (Jean-Paul Roussillon) is not compatible, so her three children and nephew are asked to go for a blood test to see if they are. Only one of them it turns out is, Henri (Mathieu Amalric, the latest Bond villain).
But here lies the problem. Henri, the middle child, has been banished from the family for the past six years. After buying his older sister, Elizabeth (Anne Consigny) a theatre since she is a playwright. Henri it seems has never finished payments on the theatre and now wants to sell it. While at court, Elizabeth agrees to settle his debt, if Henri never speaks to her again and stays away. The entire family agrees.
I place emphasis on mentioning that Henri is the middle child. Middle children all over the world (myself included) have always had a suspicion such an event is possible. We, middle children, are disposable. If we disappear no one will notice. We are not special, we are the unloved.
Meanwhile Elizabeth is having problems with her son Paul (Emile Berling), who has suffered a nervous breakdown. It turns out he too is compatible with Junon. Elizabeth wants her mother to choose Paul over Henri, since Henri is a smoker and a heavy drinker, who on occasion has passed out from drinking.
Then there is a sub-plot going on with the younger son, Ivan (Melvil Poupaud) and Simon (Laurent Capelluto), Junon's nephew. Ivan is married to Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve). Simon has eyes for her as well. A family secret between Henri, Ivan and Simon is later revealed which concerned Sylvia.
If "A Christmas Tale" sounds like it has a lot going on that's probably because it does. All these people, with all these problems are going to meet under one roof for Christmas. Not every issue will resolved. Some will barely be explained. But oddly enough that is the charm of this film. It is one of the closest reflections of real life durning the holidays that I have seen. None of the characters really want to be back home. The mother may die, the father is worried about his wife, the brother and sister hate each other and don't speak, Paul may be suicidal. No one is really in the Christmas spirit. They are not singing carols by a fireplace, gathered around a piano, the father doesn't carve a turkey while someone says "God bless us, each and everyone."
Still to the film's great accomplishment, it finds humor through the darkness, as death lurks around the corner. The subject matter sounds serious but it isn't handled as a bleak drama. Desplechin fills the movie with witty remarks and sarcastic jabs.
Some of my favorite moments in the film deal with the banter between Junon and Henri. Junon asks Henri if he still loves her to which Henri responds I never did. They constantly throw insults at each other but in a friendly way. This reminded me of the way my mother and I speak with each other.
You may be wondering how does this story reflect the holidays? But it does. It is about family trying to rebuild its ties. Christmas is not suppose to be a commercial holiday. True, society has turned it into that, but the meaning of Christmas was originally a celebration of Jesus' birthday. A time we reflect on our family and show kindness to our fellow man. Santa Clause and talking snowmen is not the true meaning of Christmas. In its own way the film is about family. There is joy in this movie. It was directed and acted with life. We can all relate to these characters and the situations presented.
Desplechin's previous film was called "Kings & Queens" which has a similar cast with Deneuve, Roussillon, his name was even the same Abel Vuillard. It too revolved around a terminally ill parent. I haven't seen that movie, so I cannot say if it was filmmed with the same joy and mixture of drama and humor.
"A Christmas Tale" was nominated for a palme d'or. It has been celebrated and praised by several critics. I wouldn't go as far as saying it is one of the best films of the year but it was one of the most pleasurable experiences I've had in a theatre this year. Hopefully others will share in this film's holiday delight.
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