Pity the poor movie goer who buy a ticket for “A Christmas Tale” expecting leg lamps, mistletoe or other holiday staples.
The French import is one dysfunctional stocking stuffer, a brooding tale which just so happens to be set around the holidays.
Ho ho ho? Not quite.
“Tale” stars Catherine Deneuve as Junon, the matriarch of a splintered family forced to reunite for the holiday. She’s battling a fatal form of cancer, a condition which requires a bone marrow transplant from a family member.
Enter Henri (“Quantum of Solace’s” Mathieu Amalric), the cast aside son who also happens to be a match for his ailing mum. But few members of the family are eager to have him back in the fold, particularly Elizabeth (Anne Consigny) who officially declared him brother non grata a few years back.
But time – and necessity – change the family dynamic forcing an awkward reunion days before Christmas.
That’s only the start of the inter-family squabbles, but it all plays out with humor, intelligence and a keen eye toward natural storytelling.
Consider one exchange between Junon and Henri mid-film. On the surface, they appear to dislike one another if judged solely by the words exchanged. But their dark humor betrays a deeper bond that’s rarely depicted in holiday fare.
The film takes some chances in its presentation, having Henri address the camera at one point, but the inconsistency of the approach makes it feel like an outtake accidentally left into the narrative.
Anyone in need of a holiday boost shouldn’t go anywhere near “A Christmas Tale.” It’s more dense than fruit cake and there isn’t a subplot that comes packaged in a seasonal bow.
Those interested in an antidote for “Four Christmases” should start lining up now for this “Tale.”
(Photo: Mathieu Amalric has trouble staying vertical in “A Christmas Tale,” a most unusual yuletide offering from France.)
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