Title: Fireflies in the Garden

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss and Julia Roberts

The question of whether a family will allow their bonds to fall apart or do whatever they can to preserve their relationships is a common one many families experience on a day-to-day basis. First-time feature film director and screenwriter Dennis Lee successfully draws on his own life experiences to present a natural, honest and real story that aims to answer that question in the drama ‘Fireflies in the Garden.’ The director also successfully captures the conflicts parents and children face, and the hard work they put into saving their relationships.

‘Fireflies in the Garden’ follows the Taylors, a Midwestern family who to outsiders, seem like the perfect American family. Father Charles (played by Willem Dafoe) is a tenured English professor on the fast track to become the new university president; mother Lisa (portrayed by Julia Roberts) is ready to graduate from college, which she left when she was younger to raise her children; son Michael (played by Ryan Reynolds) is a well-known romance novelist; and daughter Ryne (portrayed by Shannon Lucio) is set to enter a prestigious law school. As Michael travels across the country to attend his mother’s graduation, he struggles with his estranged marriage to Kelly (played by Carrie Anne Moss). He’s also forced to remember his turbulent childhood with his father.

As Michael returns to his old home, he’s faced with his parents’ sudden car accident that lead to his mother’s death and his father’s injuries. As he mourns his mother, he must learn to reconcile with his father and deal with the shocking secrets he learns about their strained marriage. As a result, he forms a closer relationship with Kelly, Ryne and their Aunt Jane (portrayed by Emily Watson).

Despite making his directorial and screenwriting feature debut with ‘Fireflies in the Garden,’ Lee was still expertly able to bring the important life lesson that the seemingly perfect home isn’t always what it seems to the forefront of the plot. Drawing on his own experiences that he had after his own mother died in a car accident, including his family struggles over how to cope with her loss, Lee constantly makes the viewer question whether the Taylors can rekindle their broken bonds. The most intriguing relationship to grow and develop after Lisa’s passing was the one between Charles and Michael.

Recalling the emotional abuse he experienced at the hand of his father for most of his life, Michael rightfully questions if he can, and should, forgive his father. Michael undergoes an interesting and mature transformation throughout the course of the film; he saw how quickly he lost his mother, and how little he really knew about her personal affairs, and doesn’t want to undergo the same experiences with his father.

Reynolds also underwent a respectable transformation of his own when he signed onto appear in ‘Fireflies in the Garden.’ While primarily known for his comedic roles, he has said he was attracted to Michael because he wanted to play someone who was having trouble feeling, particularly the loss of his mother. The actor was able to make Michael relatable in the fact that he doesn’t immediately feel anything upon learning of his mother’s death. He sits in shock during his mother’s funeral, and in the days following, still doesn’t know how to react.

Reynolds, who has described his role as challenging and liberating, formed a believable, intense bond with Dafoe. The younger actor also said ‘Fireflies in the Garden’ has the same father-son dynamic he has in his own life, and his role hit close to home. While with the other characters, Reynolds portrays Michael as being carefree in an effort to ease his pain. When he was on-screen with Dafoe, however, Reynolds brings an intense resentment to every conversation, unable to hide the anger Michael still feels towards his father’s treatment of the family.

Dafoe proved what a skilled actor he is by taking on the role of the unforgiving patriarch. He truly undermines the other characters’ motives, actions and feelings, making them feel as whatever they do isn’t good enough for him. Losing his wife and mother of his children should make Charles examine the emotional abuse he has made his family endure, but he remains the same so he won’t feel guilty for causing the car accident.

In era categorized with movies filled with non-stop stunts and action, character-driven films are a rarity. However, Lee successfully draws on his own life experiences to create a compelling story filled with the complexities of love and commitment. The Taylors represent many families who don’t know how to cope with being torn apart after an unexpected tragedy. The actorrs’ bond with their characters and each other also helped make ‘Fireflies in the Garden’ a compelling story that many audiences can find relatable.

Technical: B

Written by: Karen Benardello