Junon (Catherine Deneuve) and Abel (Jean-Paul Roussillon) have raised and let go of three children: Elizabeth (Ann Consigny), a playwright who's married to a mathematician (Hippolyte Girardot) and mother to Paul (Emile Berling), a schizophrenic youth; Henri (Mathieu Amalric), the black sheep of the family; and Ivan (Melvil Poupaud), who's married to Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni) and father to two small boys. It pains Junon and Abel to see that their offspring are not faring too well in life. One of the reasons may lie in the death of Joseph, their firstborn, who died of a rare genetic condition when he was unable to get a bone marrow transplant. Since then Elizabeth has always felt inadequate. Henri was actually brought into the world to try and save Joseph but that plan failed, and he's felt exiled from his mother's heart ever since. Then years later, Elizabeth took on Henri's debts and in return banished him from the life of the family for five years.
This dysfunctional family is drawn together at Christmas time when Junon is diagnosed with the same leukemia that took Joseph; now she is the one who needs a bone marrow transplant. There is great tension in the air, most of it coming from Elizabeth who shows no signs of easing her soul or forgiving Henri. He has brought along his beautiful Jewish girlfriend Faunia (Emmanuelle Devos). But she is not able to stem the tide of bad feelings about Henri who is drinking heavily and making comments that give off his bad vibes. After tests are taken, it turns out that only Henri and Paul qualify as a possible bone marrow donor for Junon. Adding to the discomfort that everyone feels is the family's cousin Simon (Laurent Capelluto), who has gone gaga over Ivan's wife Sylvia. There is a secret there that stokes even more conflict in the household.
In 2004, we described Kings and Queen directed by Arnaud Desplechin as "a fascinating film filled with keen observations on sexual politics, psychology, and family roles." Much of the same is showcased in A Christmas Tale which is delivered with relish by a first-rate cast of French actors.
It is never too late to bring love, peace and healing into a hurting family. All it takes is opening our hearts to those closest to us, no matter what the traumas or hatreds of the past. Often it takes the threat of someone's death to draw out the best that is within us.
