Tagline: Having a son is not the same as being a father.
Michael Taylor (Ryan Reynolds) is an author who has channeled his painful childhood memories into his novels. With some reluctance, he is flying home for his mother Lisa’s (Julia Roberts) college graduation.
After a lifetime of putting everyone else first, stroking her husband’s (Willem Dafoe) massively insecure ego and raising her children in spite of that, it’s Lisa’s turn. What should be a moment of great celebration turns into a tragic reunion when Lisa is killed in a car accident, leaving father, son and family to pick up the pieces.
While preparing for their mother’s funeral, memories are relived and secrets are revealed which will test the family bond. After a childhood of hiding in his father’s shadows, protected by his mother, Michael must confront his past and find an understanding of his family, his father and himself.
Fireflies in the Garden is a drama film starring Willem Dafoe, Ryan Reynolds, and Julia Roberts. Written and directed by Dennis Lee, the film premiered at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival and released theatrically in the United States on October 14, 2011.
Fireflies in the Garden is set in the present day, and revolves around three generations of a family, with flash-backs to their growing up. A major focus is on domineering father Charles and his strained relationships with son Michael, sister-in-law Jane and other family members.
A terrible accident on the way to a family reunion with Charles and wife Lisa at Jane’s house, and the ensuing funeral set the scene for Michael to discover/uncover much about the inner lives and affairs of this family and finding a route to reconciliation.
Read the Full Production Notes
Fireflies in the Garden
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hayden Panettiere, Julia Roberts
Directed by: Dennis Lee
Screenplay by: Dennis Lee
Release Date: October 14, 2009
MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Studio: Senator Entertainment
Box Office Totals
Domestic: —
Foreign: $2,643,435 (100.0%)
Total: $2,643,435 (Worldwide)