La Bûche

Noted French screenwriter Daniele Thompson makes her directorial debut with this lighthearted romantic comedy. After the December 21st funeral of Yvette's (Francoise Fabian) second husband, she is consoled by the three daughters from her first marriage to Stanislas (Claude Rich), a Russian-Jewish ...more

An ingratiating comedy that effortlessly shifts gears into involving dramatics, Daniele Thompson's film also manages to walk a fine line between celebrating the Christmas holiday and trashing how its commercialism induces false expectations. Beginning with a funeral on December 21 which precipitates a change in plans for a family holiday gathering, the story packs an almost inordinate amount of confrontations and revelations into four days. This is a story about a family that has never come to ...more