Fireflies In The Garden

Posted on May 26, 2009 at 3:11 pm by lkeddie | Permalink

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Released 29th May 2009

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As they say; we always hurt the ones we love, and fledgling writer/director Dennis Lee’s thought-provoking and intimate story is testament to just that. With a troublesome heart, it explores the tragic consequences of miscommunication and missed, valued moments in a sensitive, poignant and despairing dysfunctional family story, wonderfully punctuated by moments of dark, sharp wit. Ryan Reynolds gives a highly skilful performance in the lead, far superior to that in The Nines, as he brilliantly masters the necessary subtle comic undertones for such a film, standing out in an already impressive, star-studded cast.

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In fact, Reynolds ought to concentrate on this type of more mature, meater role in the future, rather than the teen dramas and rom-com leads (Definitely, Maybe) that we are used to seeing him in because he excels in former, allowing him to give more of himself as an actor. As Michael Taylor, a troubled romance novelist with deep-rooted childhood issues - mostly due to the draconian ways and constant disapproval of his overly-demanding father, played by Willem Dafoe, Reynolds can interpret the full spectrum of feelings felt after a loss, and the simmering conflicts such a tragedy can bring to the surface. The lighter moments of grief are truly touching to witness, when Michael takes his young cousins firecracker fishing, or bats the fireflies in the garden. The actor delivers an alluring combination of pain, despair, moodiness, cynical wit, charm and sex appeal in one of the most appealing characters he has ever played.

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Dafoe is equally compelling as the bullying Taylor Senior, a man desperate to connect with those around him, but prevented from doing so by his staunch principles and high standards. Eventually, he realises his only option is to unite his crumbling family after his wife Lisa’s fatal car accident by trying to mend his fractured relationship with is only son. Michael’s tragic mother, Lisa, reminiscent of a Desperate Housewives‘ Bree Hodge, is a rather short and interesting part for Julia Roberts to agree to do, and one that does not fully utilize this A-lister. More importantly, she reappears in flashbacks that see Lisa transform and find her true voice and identity, away from her controlling husband.

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However, the most intriguing relationship dynamic of the film is between Michael and his mother’s younger sister, Aunt Jane (Emily Watson), formerly his rebellious sidekick in their youth. The emotional complexities are fascinating to watch between Reynolds’ and Watson’s self-opinionated characters, and there is a frustratingly undeveloped, but dangerous sexual inference that is magnetic to see. His relationship grows stronger with Jane as he sees more of himself in her young son Chris (Chase Ellison). Michael’s acceptance of change necessary to stop the family from imploding is depicted in the ultimate sacrifice of his controversial, whistle-blowing transcript.

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Lee’s screenplay is rich in relationship dynamics, and has a surprisingly humorous and light-hearted side to it, amidst the family self-destruction. Such a drama is as good as the script and the actors in it, and Lee’s film works on both levels as it feels natural, honest and incredibly personal, with a fabulous cast to boot.

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By Lisa Keddie

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Synopsis

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As Michael Taylor (Reynolds) wings his way cross country to attend a family celebration in his Midwestern hometown, the realities of his adult life-a teetering marriage and a less than lofty, if prolific, career as a romance novelist-crowd his thoughts, along with decades-old memories of angry conflict with his overly-demanding father (Dafoe). Not even the hushed request by an admiring flight attendant for his autograph can distract him from the dread he feels, anticipating a week of strained conversation and forced gaiety that await him at home. The only mitigating factor is the opportunity to see his Aunt Jane (Watson), his mother’s younger sister and co-conspirator in his youthful rebellions.

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Upon arrival, Michael faces an entirely different scenario. As he and younger sister Ryne (Shannon Lucio) struggle to connect during the drive from the airport to their childhood home, they come upon the scene of a car accident that has taken the life of their mother, Lisa (Roberts) in the prime of her life. Funeral plans replace the graduation celebration, and as he mourns his mother, Michael must come to grips with his fractured relationship with his father. Despite her absence, Michael learns more about his mother, forges closer relationships with his wife, sister and aunt, and in the process, gains a greater understanding of what it means to love as an adult.

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Film Facts

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Official site: TBC

UK Release Date: 29th May 2009

Director: Dennis Lee

Writer: Dennis Lee

Cast: Julia Roberts (’Lisa Taylor’), Ryan Reynolds (’Michael Taylor’), Emily Watson (’Jane Lawrence’), Willem Dafoe (’Charles Taylor’), Carrie-Anne Moss (’Kelly’), Ioan Gruffudd (’Addison’), Hayden Panettiere (Young ‘Jane’), Cayden Boyd (Young ‘Michael Taylor’), Shannon Lucio (’Ryne Taylor’), George Newbern (’Jimmy Lawrence’), Brooklynn Proulx (’Leslie Lawrence’), Chase Ellison (’Christopher Lawrence’)