Fireflies in the Garden

Name: Fireflies in the Garden
Genre: Drama
Released: October 14, 2011
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 34

2011

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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Fireflies In The Garden

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Movie Details & Credits

FSI | Release Date: October 14, 2011 | R

Summary: To an outsider, the Taylors are the very picture of the successful American family: Charles is a tenured professor on track to become university president, son Michael is a prolific and well-known romance novelist, daughter Ryne is poised to enter a prestigious law school, and on the day we are introduced to them, matriarch Lisa willTo an outsider, the Taylors are the very picture of the successful American family: Charles is a tenured professor on track to become university president, son Michael is a prolific and well-known romance novelist, daughter Ryne is poised to enter a prestigious law school, and on the day we are introduced to them, matriarch Lisa will graduate from college—decades after leaving to raise her children. But when a serious accident interrupts the celebration, the far more nuanced reality of this Midwestern family's history and relationships come to light. (FSI)

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Director: Dennis Lee

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle

Oct 13, 2011

Instead of concealing it, I'll just come out and say that I find it difficult to be enthusiastic about this well-acted and gracefully directed movie, but for reasons that might be called philosophical. Read full review

Alison Willmore

Oct 12, 2011

An ending that suggests reconciliation and forgiveness isn't just unearned, it's bewildering, given the wretched behavior we've seen; it implies that the entire story was filtered through some unidentified unreliable narrator who wanted to take the higher ground while still harboring a serious grudge. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Oct 19, 2011

The resentments acted out at the dining table by the rest of this miserable family - gathered for a graduation celebration that turns into a wake - are so oppressive that Eugene O'Neill might ask, ''Too much?'' Read full review

Alissa Simon

Oct 10, 2011

Clumsy melodrama, which looks and sounds no better than an average made-for-cabler. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

Oct 10, 2011

Dennis Lee comes up empty. Kids, parents, siblings, an aunt and an estranged wife all bicker and yell, but the noise cancels itself out. The movie is one long argument, tiresome and repetitive, that produces more heat than light. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Oct 14, 2011

A dispiriting rehash of dysfunctional family clichés that seems to last longer than Thanksgiving Day dinner. Read full review

Nick Schager

Oct 11, 2011

Despite an A-list roster, the performances are universally one-note, a fact largely attributable to a script overflowing with blunt dialogue and heavy-handed symbolism. Read full review

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User Reviews

jeremyp

Jun 2, 2012

This is a rather sloppy movie about a dysfunctional family headed by a demonic turn by Willem Dafoe and abetted by a an unusually tame Julia Roberts. Dafoe's father psychologically traumatizes his son, while Roberts flits around mewling but not interfering. Her anger only shows when sheThis is a rather sloppy movie about a dysfunctional family headed by a demonic turn by Willem Dafoe and abetted by a an unusually tame Julia Roberts. Dafoe's father psychologically traumatizes his son, while Roberts flits around mewling but not interfering. Her anger only shows when she finds out Dafoe is unfaithful. She is killed in a car accident and the family is gathered for the funeral. The son is grown, and yet Dafoe keeps harping away. But the son may have revenge: he has just finished an autobiography about his family and Daddy, a famous writer himself, will be skewered. This is where it gets really sloppy. Emily Watson plays the son's childhood friend and sole soul-mate. Now she is distant and critical of him, and we are given no reasons as to why. His ex wife (ex alcoholic) shows up (Carrie Ann Moss) and soon they are shagging upstairs noisily while the funeral reception tries to go on downstairs. Father is mortified but everybody else just giggles. In the end Dafoe gets a by as the son gets religion and burns the book. Nothing is done with Roberts enabling mother role. A sister gets mostly ignored, and in the end they all sit around watching home movies and lo and behold we see Dafoe actually acting like a real Dad. Do we care? We do not.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NJWolfgang

Mar 3, 2012

If Terence Malik had been listed as the director the critics would have been all over this piece claiming it was brilliant. My complaint was the ending which signified some type of reconciliation but even with the possibility it didn't really state emphatically that everything had beenIf Terence Malik had been listed as the director the critics would have been all over this piece claiming it was brilliant. My complaint was the ending which signified some type of reconciliation but even with the possibility it didn't really state emphatically that everything had been fixed. The performances are all excellent. Yes it's family dysfunction at it's best but the actors pull it off quite well. Just as the critics got so much wrong this year they got this one wrong as well.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

DBreez

May 19, 2012

Interesting movie, I don't like this genre. A little tangled story, i don't understand at the beginning, why he hided the glasses. but not bad movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Feb 13, 2021

A deadly dull and inoperative melodrama that wastes an impressive cast.
I was stunned and perplexed by such flop.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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