A Christmas Tale
A Christmas Tale Image
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Metascore
84 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 33 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Mathieu Amalric
  • Summary: Abel and Junon had two children, Joseph and Elizabeth. Victim of a rare genetic condition, Joseph's only hope was a bone marrow transplant. As they and Elizabeth were incompatible, his parents conceived a third child in the hope of saving their son. But little Henri too was unable to help his brother, and Joseph died at the age of seven. The Vuillard family has never recovered. Many years have passed, and family relationships are more strained than ever. In particular, those between Elizabeth, authoritarian head of the family and Henri, a cynical drop out who divides his time between women and drink. After a violent argument, Elizabeth banishes her feckless brother, cutting him off from his nephew, her son Paul - a tortured adolescent beset by serious mental problems. Masterfully directed and acted, by turns savage, bittersweet, darkly comic and unbearably moving, A Christmas Tale shows internationally acclaimed Desplechin at the height of his powers. (IFC Films) … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    100
    Desplechin's films are great, chaotic, unsettling fun. This one's scored, elegantly, to a mixture of standards and classics and original music by Gregoire Hetzel.
  2. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    100
    Darkly hilarious, brilliantly acted.
  3. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    80
    Though overly self-conscious, this "Tale" is nonetheless wry, observant and frequently heartbreaking. It's also bound to make you feel better about your own holiday plans.
  4. Variety
    Reviewed by: Derek Elley
    60
    Largely thanks to the snappy editing, short scenes and a strong cast led by a matronly Deveuve and Amalric's enjoyable perf as the black sheep of the family, A Christmas Tale never devolves into a tedious two-and-a-half hours of self-examination. But it also never goes very far, either.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 4 out of 10
  1. ryancarroll88
    10
    From an American standpoint, it seems like a strange notion to gather an all-star cast to create a moving drama, especially under the guise of a Christmas film, but this is France we're talking about, and director Arnaud Desplechin (along with the whole cast) more than delivers. I was reminded a lot of "The Royal Tenenbaums" with the family struggles, and in many ways the two are similar. However, instead of wittiness being infused into the dialogue, Desplechin reserves the quirkiness for the camerawork with uncanny cinematography and editing. This lead to a strange dichotomy in which everything on screen was very tense and dramatic, but as a viewer I felt resilient and entertained the whole way through - after all, (family) drama is something we all can relate to.… Expand
  2. MalcolmW.
    8
    Snappy editing? OVER-EDITING. Too many jump cuts that drench the emotion out of a scene. Where are the infamous French tracking-shots and long takes? Also, over-scored. One doesn't need to hear a plethora of music to get the point. Otherwise, impeccably written, acted and directed. But really, more work in the editing room: less editing, that is...just let the scenes flow.… Expand
  3. KatharineC.
    4
    How could anyone criticize a move that all the critics seem to love? I tend to like "art" movies with subtitles, but sitting through this darm family reunion was like a trip to the dentist's office: I kept wondering when it would end. At least the dentist's office with clean teeth... but here? This movie contained two and a half hours of lingering resentment, maternal apathy, and a Christmas that nobody would feel nostalgic about -- leaving viewers with nothing but the question, "So What?" The best moment in the theater was when a man stood and declared, "I don't care if it's in French, it's still not a good movie." And then he bravely walked out -- leaving we posers behind. Give me a root canal any day.… Expand
  4. BobW
    3
    A dreadful, interminable film. I love European cinema, especially movies from France. But this was painful to sit through. For goodness sakes, stay away.… Expand

See all 10 User Reviews

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