Entertainment

Fireflies In The Garden

Julia Roberts’ character dies 10 minutes into Dennis Lee’s maudlin family drama, which was pretty much DOA when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival nearly four years ago — and is now finally receiving a token theatrical burial.

Ryan Reynolds, who’s gone on to such recent triumphs as “Green Lantern’’ and “The Change-Up,’’ grimaces a lot as Roberts’ son, a successful novelist who’s come home for what promises to be a problematic family reunion. His new book presents an unflattering portrait of his abusive college professor dad (Willem Dafoe), who has mellowed little despite becoming a widower.

Even with the presence of such luminaries as Roberts (in flashbacks), Emily Watson, Hayden Panettiere and Carrie-Anne Moss, “Fireflies’’ is a dispiriting rehash of dysfunctional family clichés that seems to last longer than Thanksgiving Day dinner.