The troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christ... Read allThe troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas.The troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 35 nominations
- L'avocat d'Henri
- (as a different name)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Fields Medal, noted as having been won by Elizabeth's husband, is a medal given to a mathematician under 40 who has made a major contribution to the study of Mathematics. Fields Medals are awarded every four years to up to four mathematicians.
- GoofsThe opening narration notes that Joseph was born in 1965, and that he died at age 6. However, we later see that his headstone gives 1968 as his year of death.
- Quotes
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: When did it happen?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: What do you mean?
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I want details. She mentioned a decision you all made. Tell me where and when. Was it here?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Easter vacation, 1991. At the community centre. You were next door.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I remember. Is Ivan aware of this?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: It's history.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Was Ivan with you? Or did you and Henri decide our fate behind his back?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Ivan was there.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: What did you say?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Henri and I were talking about you. Guy talk. Ivan was quiet, smiling. Then he said, "If I don't get her, I'll never get over it."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: What did you reply?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I can't remember. "She's right for you."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Exactly! The exact words!
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: "Take her, she's yours."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I'm not to be given, like a camel or a goat.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I didn't give you. I was 27. An idiot. I was hollow. Still am.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Did you love me?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Yes.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Do you love me?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Yes.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Scumbag! You're part of the game! By choosing for me, you played.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I was right. Ivan loved you infinitely.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: It's your love that was infinite. You played my hand and you cheated. Now I'll never know my life. It's not mine. I wasn't free to prefer Ivan.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Henri was there, too.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: It's not the same. You really love me. Henri wanted sex, and got it. For 10 years, you've had no life. You're pathetic in your studio. You don't talk. You're sad. You spend Sundays doing the dishes, stealing glances, avoiding my kids. You're a failure, clinging to the Vuillards. You never got over me.
- ConnectionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Another Top 10 Best Christmas Movies of All Time (2017)
At the same time A Christmas Tale in very much a French film, is attitude and approach to narrative and occasionally nearing that dreaded P-word (pretentious) in being 2 1/2 hours of incidents and confrontations and little details and twists. A lot happens with the Vuillard family over a few days, but in it uncovers a whole can of worms involving a banished son (Mathieu Amalric, who thankfully is maybe the centerpiece of the ensemble in terms of being the black sheep like Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married), a depressed daughter (Anne Consigny who, despite being effective in a one-note performance, is also so shrill and cold as a character it's hard to feel anything for her, at all, despite her plight of losing her older brother as a child), and a cousin who has loved his cousin's wife ever since he got him, Ivan, the youngest Vuillard brother, to hook up with her so many years ago. Meanwhile, the mother (Catherine Deneuve, who may not exactly be a great actress but is the greatest living female French star which carries a lot of weight as a true beauty), has cancer, possibly terminal, unless a donor comes forward.
So there's a lot here to work with - maybe, perhaps, arguably too much, though it's almost a credit to the director that I can't say exactly what (little things, for example, like the Christmas Eve sex scene are deliberately paced but for good reason), and he laces everything with a curious jazz score throughout, sometimes to great effect and sometimes not. But, at the least, it's wonderful to see so many good actors in one place, particularly Amalric who is quickly becoming a truly fantastic talent with a lot of range in the work I've seen him in- one day he's a subdued intelligence man in Munich, next he's paralyzed except for one eye-blinking in Diving Bell, and even a 007 villain- and here goes further in a scene stealing performance (one such scene is his toast at the Christmas dinner, a scene actually shocking and hilarious and sad all in a thirty-second split).
He and Deneuve and the underrated Jean-Paul Roussillon as the husband of Junon almost make me want to rate the movie higher. But alas, it is what it is: a very strong take on a familiar subject - crazy and light and dark and tragic and unnerving times with a family at Christmas - and standing it on its head, while also the things I mention above. Did I mention it's French? 7.5/10
- Quinoa1984
- Nov 24, 2008
- Permalink
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Câu Chuyện Giáng Sinh
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,060,922
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $63,837
- Nov 16, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $7,356,393
- Runtime2 hours 30 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1