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Fireflies in the Garden (2008) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   2,736 votes
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Director:
Dennis Lee
Writers:
Robert Frost (poem)
Dennis Lee (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Fireflies in the Garden on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 July 2008 (Greece) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
The semi-autobiographical story centers on the complexities of love and commitment in a family torn apart when faced by an unexpected tragedy. | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
Guide to the Movies Released Over 2009 Thanksgiving
 (From Aceshowbiz. 16 November 2009, 1:55 AM, PST)
Ten Things You Never Knew About Ryan Reynolds
 (From digitalspy. 27 May 2009, 1:18 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Sporadically moving but rather unremarkable all the same. more (22 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ryan Reynolds ... Michael Waechter

Willem Dafoe ... Charles Waechter

Emily Watson ... Jane Lawrence

Carrie-Anne Moss ... Kelly Hanson (as Carrie Anne Moss)

Julia Roberts ... Lisa Waechter

Ioan Gruffudd ... Addison

Hayden Panettiere ... Young Jane Lawrence

Shannon Lucio ... Ryne Waechter

Cayden Boyd ... Young Michael Waechter

George Newbern ... Jimmy Lawrence (as George Newburn)

Chase Ellison ... Christopher Lawrence
Brooklynn Proulx ... Leslie Lawrence
Diane Perella ... Flight Attendant
Natalie Karp ... Social Worker
John C. Stennfeld ... Reverend Byers (as Reverend John Stennfeld)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language and some sexual content.
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
Germany:99 min (theatrical version) | Israel:120 min | Germany:120 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | Argentina:120 min | Australia:94 min (DVD)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Certification:
Finland:K-13 | Netherlands:6 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:15A | Germany:12 | Australia:M | Mexico:B
Filming Locations:
Austin, Texas, USA more
Company:
Kulture Machine more

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Kelly first appears walking into the house after the funeral, the boom mic is visibly above the doorway. more
Soundtrack:
Christine more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
Sporadically moving but rather unremarkable all the same., 7 November 2009
6/10
Author: Jamie Ward from United Kingdom

With such a star-studded cast and a rather safe-play but highly ethereal screenplay, Fireflies in the Garden is something of an oddity. For some reason failing to get a wide theatrical release, Dennis Lee's biggest feature to date is destined to be forgotten all too early and for all the wrong reasons. While it certainly isn't hard to see how a film such as Fireflies wouldn't have excited any board members when it comes to commercial success (and to a lesser extent, critical), going by the ensemble cast involved in the production and its mature meditations on domestic turbulence, you'd think it would have been open to a wider audience at least. Alas, this was not the case and instead Fireflies in the Garden will come as a pleasant, albeit unremarkable surprise to audiences who sit down to view what they will probably perceive to be a feature brimming with unknowns beforehand.

Telling the story of the Waechter family in a non-linear fashion which jumps back and forth between the domestic quarrels both post and pre-tragedy of the mother dying in a car crash, Dennis Lee's story is one steeped in pathos, but perhaps overly so. At the centre of this turmoil lies the antagonistic relationship between overpowering father Charles (Dafoe) and meek son Michael (Reynolds/Boyd) whilst their respective wife and mother Lisa (Roberts) is destined to be the mediator between the two. For the most part, Lee's screenplay is thick with subtle nuances and borderline pop psychology that most family dramas are built upon and the combination of this refrained storytelling that is low on plot can be satisfying at key moments of character conflict. Yet burdened with some trivial scenes set in the present in which other members further down the family tree are involved, this focus on the Waechter's is never fully realised and so a sustainable level of empathy is often muddled in other, less compelling drama.

Without a doubt the strongest element of the feature as a whole comes from the lead performances both by Reynolds and Boyd who play the tormented Michael Waechter as a child and adult respectively. While Reynolds has so far dabbled in and out of these kind of films whilst retaining his much more stoic Hollywood image, the experienced actor steals the show here, if only because he never has to share the screen with Boyd for obvious reasons. Combined with the strong, sympathetically slanted writing of Lee, the character of Michael is undoubtedly what keeps the movie afloat, with Boyd and Reynolds both creating a sense of unity in the character, but also crafting a contrast between the two which builds the dynamics between the boy and his father. Boyd, who has had his fair share of experience himself for near on a decade now, is key to this whole shift in perspective; his performance is subtle but not tepid, and also avoids the usual awkwardness associated with these kinds of roles played by younger thespians.

In the end, Dennis Lee crafts a feature which is sporadically moving but rather unremarkable all the same. Perhaps this is key to the reason why the movie never truly got off the ground in the first place; taken as a whole, Fireflies in the Garden comes off as something more suited to an hour long TV drama, albeit with a much lesser known cast. Yet as it stands, although a little middling and overlong, Fireflies in the Garden is enjoyable and will no doubt provide viewers with ample thoughts on the everyday relationships that can sometimes seem like more trouble than they worth. Closing on a notably upbeat, but well crafted ending however, Lee affirms the movie's positive outlook on forgiveness and regret as part of the same parcel, which sends it off on a solid note even if it is a little too far on into the game.

- A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
just like garden state... alpez
Oscar nomination for Roberts ? crazyjake
Satisfying end but not very realistic SusanHampson
will this be released in Australia? emmac2111
Thai DVD out now stfa-1
Screenplay: original or adapted? cinnefilo4ever
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