The Duplass family have a way with creating something special and emotional and heartfelt. Whether it be 11 minutes or 90 minutes long, when they want to make something spectacular, their collective foot is on the gas, and they know exactly where they’re going with it. With some hidden gems like dramatic romance Blue Jay (2016), Language Lessons (2021), and even Biosphere (2022), Mark Duplass knows how to tug on the heart strings in any scenario. His newest family outing, a short entitled Oh, Christmas Tree, brings his writing to the forefront with his wife Katie Aselton (Mack & Rita; Black Rock) directing and featuring the first onscreen role of their daughter Ora. It examines the hardships of the holidays in a lighthearted manner that is far deeper than anticipated.
L-R: Mark Duplass as Ben and Ora Duplass as Claire in OH, CHRISTMAS TREE. Photo courtesy of Fusion Entertainment/Tribeca Film Festival.
The short focuses solely on Claire and her father Ben (Ora and Mark Duplass, respectively) as they’re trying to celebrate the holidays with their typical traditions to try to block out a tragic even that has occurred. No one explicitly says what the tragedy ever is, but it is assumed to be the loss of Claire’s mother either by death or divorce. They’re trying to just celebrate the “most wonderful time of the year,” wanting to make the most out of a bad situation, but clearly things are neither happy nor gleeful.
What makes Mark Duplass’s writing so spectacular is that he manages to create atmospheres that are secondary characters in themselves and gives presence to something that most writers cannot create, atmospheric tension due to scenery or location. In Oh, Christmas Tree, the holiday itself is a character, the cabin is a character, and these characters each bring a presence to the film, expressing emotion almost as much as Mark and Ora. The season has such preconceived notions attached to it, that anything that shies away from that glowing idyllic landscape feels almost sacrilegious in a sense. On the other hand, we have the cabin they go to, the old tradition they have always done. The rustic nature of the cabin makes it feel like it’s been a tradition for all of Claire’s life. They share a bedroom and the lighting is more sobering and dim making it feel like something has been lost. The way the cabin is framed just feels self contained and adds an element that life outside the cabin isn’t as cherry and whimsical as life inside the cabin, but due to what has happened the cabin has lost that magic and its now more somber. They try to continue with what once brought them joy despite staring in the face of anguish and depression, trying to fight the intrusive thoughts and keep them from winning. These atmospheric characters are nearly a signature of Mark’s, especially looking at his last few projects where everything is about atmosphere and closed confined spaces that can exhume horrors.
L-R: Mark Duplass as Ben and Ora Duplass as Claire in OH, CHRISTMAS TREE. Photo courtesy of Fusion Entertainment/Tribeca Film Festival.
When one is working with under 11 minutes of screen time, every second has to be carefully constructed and performed to make the most out of what they have. The final product takes skill, a light hand, and perfection. To say that both Duplasses and Aselton all manage to pull this off is an understatement; they do it with such precision and excellence that it is a benchmark for the craft itself. In 11 minutes, they manage to tell a story that is going to rip and tug at those heart strings so powerfully and create such beautiful tense drama so flawlessly that they school most longform movies. Not to downplay Ora’s understanding of the craft, but to work alongside your parents may either be easier or more daunting. Her ability to harness that childlike innocence but also step up to the plate and nearly parent the parent is exceptional.
Oh, Christmas Tree is a full out Duplass family affair, and, considering the subject matter at hand, it certainly is the family affair to be seen. The holidays are never easy, but fighting through the mental anguish that one may face has rarely been handled this beautifully. The performances from both Mark and Ora Duplass shine throughout this tinseled short film about grief, mental health, and changing family structure. Only a family could create something so devastatingly wholesome.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2024.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca 2024 Oh, Christmas Tree webpage.
Final Score: 4.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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