A Christmas Tale

You know those Christmas family reunion type films with a dysfunctional twist, like Family Stone or Home For the Holidays? Well, the French import A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël) takes the theme a step further. The black sheep son has been ostracized and cast out from the nuclear unit, but now the mother needs a bone marrow transplant to live and guess which child has the match?
A Christmas Tale stars some very recognizable actors, most notably Catherine Deneuve and Mathieu Amalric and depending on how many foreign films you watch you may also be familiar with thesps like Chiara Mastroianni and Emmanuelle Devos. There are fights and love, bitter feelings and family unity. The whole affair begins as we witness the death of one of the children soon after he is born. The action shifts to the eldest daughter suing the middle child (Amalric) in court. This is not a family that plays well together.
In the present day the holidays bring a bittersweet reunion. The film veers between showing members of the family just living their lives and the drama of whether Mom will survive her pending operation. The tone isn't melodramatic however and at times the situation abounds in humor. This is a large family and the possibilities for many outcomes exist. A Christmas Tale is currently unwinding exclusively at the River Oaks Three.