A search for a compatible bone marrow donor brings a dysfunctional family together for Christmas, where old wounds are re-opened, secrets are revealed, grudges are settled, and transcendence or absolution may be within reach for some of its members.
Writer-director Arnaud Desplechin takes a tired movie formula and pushes it to its ultimate painfully funny/funnily painful extreme, with a daring visual and narrative style, as well as a long list of memorable, well-drawn characters. Never have the common sibling rivalries played with such heartbreaking stakes, or the barbs spoken between relatives been delivered with such venom, or understanding earned with such effort.
Aiding Desplechin is a top-notch cast, including French screen legend Catherine Deneuve, Matthew Amalric & Anne Consigny (both from The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Deneuve's real-life daughter Chiara Mastroianni, and Emmanuelle Devos (who starred with Amalric in Desplechin's previous feature Kings and Queen). The film shifts narrative perspective frequently, allowing each character to have his or her say in the proceedings.
This project comes as a result of a documentary Desplechin made about his own family and upbringing in Roubaix, in Northern France near the Belgian border, where A Christmas Tale is also set. In addition to this personal influence, Desplechin drew heavy inspiration from Greek tragedy, Ingmar Bergman's film Fanny & Alexander, and from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is directly quoted several times.
The film was in competition at last year's Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received a slew of nominations at France's annual Cesar awards, as well as placing high on many American critics' Top 10 lists.
A Christmas Tale runs approximately 2 hrs, 15 min.
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