Labor Day

Labor Day

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 1/31/14

Reviewed 2/1/14 at Celebration North

2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Kate Winslet plays the despondent recluse Adele Wheeler well. The story is narrated as seen through her son Henry Wheeler (Gaitlin Griffith)'s eyes. The narration is effective, but the movie is a dark drama with some love story woven in. Although my problem is that this doesn't give either a burst of joy at the end or a big sob. I want one or the other with this genre. Josh Brolin plays stoic Frank who is an escaped convict. He enters their lives rather unaggressive but the mother and son are even more passive so it's fairly easy. All three of these actors' performances are convincing, but since not many others really enter the picture (especially down the mundane stretch), you might be wondering if some excitement wouldn't just do the trick.

Set in 1987, Frank bloodied and barely walking targets Henry and Adele in their monthly trip to the local store. This is really a coincidence since single mother Adele hardly leaves the house. Frank forces them to take him to their home so he can hide out until evening. "It will be safe to leave the house after dark," he tells them and to jump on the local train. The trouble is, it's Labor Day weekend and the train is not on regular schedule. That evening the escape's picture is all over the news and he's considered armed and dangerous. Convicted of murder, there are intermittent flashbacks to his backstory and what occurred. He tells Adele and her son to not believe the news because what is being said is not true. Morning rolls around and Frank is still there. They are fearful of him, but he didn't kill them while sleeping so they begin warming up to Frank. Jumping on the fix it's all over the house and Frank keeps busy.

He and Henry even play catch in the yard. Crazy and unlikely...yes; but the writers do weave the story subtly so it is a little more convincing than it may seem. A few days pass and there are some close calls with a neighbor or two as the family barely manages a guise that everything is normal. After three days time though, we realize Adele must be crazy. She hatches a plan with Frank to take Henry, leaving everything behind, and start a new life together in spite of her nervous condition. This all sounds like a great idea?? Well, for Frank why not? He certainly has nothing else to lose. Don't get me wrong, Frank grows on you. Forgetting he's an escaped convicted murderer, both Adele and Henry accept him so freely. That's the wild part. Labor Day is slowish for most of the film, and while compelling performances, I still feel it was lacking some zip. With that, I'm not sure if this is worth a trip now. But I would say you can save this one and see it on a slow day down the road.

QUIET Rating system: 2 Js

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJ

Entertainment:  JJ

Time:  Jj