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Charlotte O'Sullivan's rating
Fireflies in the Garden is a blantant case of insect cruelty
By
Charlotte O'Sullivan
29 May 2009
The sudden death of a beautiful matriarch (Julia Roberts) sparks tears, rows and a lot of soul-searching in this watchable but ultimately blah family drama.
First time writer/director Dennis Lee is desperate to transcend genre clichés — much is left unsaid about a crucial sexual liaison — and Ryan Reynolds and Willem Dafoe are effective as an out-of-sync father and son.
Yet the rest of the talented cast (including Emily Watson and Carrie-Anne Moss) are underused.
And the “charming” set piece with the titular fireflies is a blatant case of insect cruelty.
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