Fireflies in the Garden

Better known on this side of the pond for being a regular on Men’s Health covers and squiring Scarlett Johansson around Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds leads a starry cast in this heavy, entertaining but slightly forgettable family drama written and directed by Dennis Lee.

The story revolves around the strained relationship between Michael Waechter (Reynolds) and his domineering father Charles (Willem Dafoe), which comes to a head when Michael grudgingly attends a family celebration. The reunion is derailed when his mother, Lisa (Julia Roberts), is killed in a car crash, which acts as a catalyst for father-son reflection and a bucket load of flashbacks.

Death, affairs, abuse and failure are all hallmarks (or should that be Hallmarks?) of the genre, which often churns out clichéd messes more suited to daytime television than cinema. But Lee’s script, based on a poem by Robert Frost, has a few clever things to say about his characters, even if it isn’t all that original. Apart from the odd slap, Charles’ abuse towards his son is primarily emotional, while no explanation for his behaviour is offered beyond the fact that he’s a controlling man who rules his child and pregnant wife with an iron fist.

Despite suffering an unhappy childhood, it’s refreshing to find that Michael is free of the over-analysis so beloved of American dramas. He’s the kind of strong, successful yet detached man who considers it acceptable to teach his young cousins how to fish with firecrackers, and screw his ex-wife quite loudly while the rest of the family has a minute’s silence downstairs at the funeral. In other words, he’s no more or less fucked up than most people. But the film hinges on that awkward relationship between father and son, which is left happily free of simple resolution or hackneyed revelation. By the conclusion, no one has learned anything, which is surely some sort of lesson itself.

Limara Salt

Anticipation:

A family torn apart! Unexpected tragedy! Dark secrets! Whatever!

Enjoyment:

Surprisingly not a bad way to spend 100 minutes.

In Retrospect:

What’s it about again?