A Christmas Tale is the story of the Vuillards, a family with many trials in their past and some still being played out. Abel and Junon are the parents. They have three living children, Elisabeth, a playwright; Henri, a drunken screw-up; and Ivan, the youngest who had a breakdown as a teen. The memory of the first-born, Joseph, who died of leukemia as a child, continues to have a part in the family dynamic. In fact, Henri was conceived in hope of providing a bone marrow match for Joseph, but it wasn't to be. We are left to wonder if his attitude on life is tied to knowing that he failed to do the very thing he was born to do.

A few years back, in a deal to cover Henri's debts, Elizabeth issues a banishment. Family members can meet with Henri if they like, but he is not to come to any family functions. We're never sure exactly what Henri did that pushed Elizabeth to this point. But now, with Christmas nearing, Junon discovers she has leukemia. If a match can be found it may (or may not) save her life. Even Henri is brought back into the fold, though not necessarily forgiven. Will one of the children or grandchildren be a match? Or will this be the last Christmas the family all has together?

There are some interesting dynamics in the family. For example, Abel and Junon as parents hold the titular place as head of the Vuillard clan. Junon in particular looks regal as she reigns over a family dinner or a play put on by the children. But it is Elizabeth who for some reason holds the real power in the family. Everyone else seems to defer to her.

There are a variety of interesting family members: Paul, Elizabeth's teenage son who is having his own teenage breakdown, like his uncle Ivan did; Sylvia, Ivan's wife who discovers that other family members backed off from pursuing her so Ivan could have her. She also discovers that Ivan's cousin, Simon, has always been in love with her.

It turns out that both Paul and Henri are bone marrow matches for Junon. Could that put Paul over the edge if it didn't work and his grandmother died? Is this Henri's chance at redemption after failing to save his brother's life?

It would seem that with 152 minutes, the film would have plenty of time to look at all these stories. What happens instead is that the film (as is the family) is overly complicated. Just trying to keep all the relationships straight is a challenge that muddles whatever plot the film has.

The setup of the film is ripe with potential. It could be about forgiveness and reconciliation, or about finding one's place and meaning in life, or about mortality and the way it brings life into focus. It could have been about many things. Instead it just keeps skipping from person to person to person to person without giving the viewer insight into anything that truly matters. Two and a half hours is a lot to invest in a movie. It should have a payoff commensurate to that investment. Sadly, A Christmas Story does not.