This quiet melodrama centres on writer Michael Taylor (Ryan Reynolds), who's heading home for a celebration involving his mother (Julia Roberts) when a fatal car accident shatters the family reunion. As the funeral plans get underway, Michael tries to make sense of his career, failing marriage and angry, combative relationship with his domineering father (Willem Dafoe). The narrative flashbacks show patterns within the Taylor clan repeating themselves, as secrets are unveiled and scenarios revisited with poignant attention. Writer/director Dennis Lee's light hand encourages natural, powerful performances from the leads and a supporting cast that includes Emily Watson and Hayden Panettiere. Similar in tone to John Curran's We Don't Live Here Anymore (2003), this isn't especially original, but does offer an unblinkered yet surprisingly positive examination of family dysfunction and reconciliation.

The semi-autobiographical story centers on the complexities of love and commitment in a family torn apart when faced with an unexpected tragedy.