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.