Labor Day

Starring: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire, Clark Gregg, James Van Der Beek, J.K. Simmons
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An escaped convict (Josh Brolin) holes up with a woman (Kate Winslet) and her son (Gattlin Griffith).

Review:

Tim: I have to admit, I had zero interest in watching Labor Day. It just seemed like a weepy, melodramatic film that was targeted at a demographic very different than me. Even with the strong Jason Reitman behind the camera, I did not have high hopes. As often happens in movies, though, the reality of the film is different than you first expect. This movie far surpassed any expectations I had on it. It was a really solid, very good drama.

The story is very straightforward- an escaped convict hides out from the police with a woman and her son. I liked the stripped down, simplicity of the story. That allows us to focus all of our energy on the characters, which Jason Reitman wisely does. This actually works quite well, and the story has some well-written scenes that further help with character development. It feels like this movie does a great job in this area. Far, far too many films are sunk because they don't spend enough time developing their characters. I understand (to a certain extent) why this happens- character development is slow and takes times. It detracts from the number of explosions you can cram in. This movie does a great job of developing characters in an entertaining, interesting way.

The cast is quite strong. Josh Brolin is an actor I always underrate. When I think about him, I know he's good, but I also kind of shrug my shoulders. When I watch him, though, I'm impressed. He is good in this film- a long way from being award-worthy, but he gives a solid performance that elevates the film. He's charismatic, likeable, and memorable. He has a good partner in Kate Winslet. She's obviously an incredible actress. I thought she was slightly less than her usual level of effectiveness, but still solid for this kind of movie. She and Brolin work well together.

The supporting cast is good, too. Gattlin Griffith does a very good job- keep your eye on him. Tobey Maguire's presence was welcome, but he doesn't have much to do. James Van Der Beek was very good in a very small role. I also liked seeing Clark Gregg here- he's not a great actor, but a likeable guy. J.K. Simmons is another actor I always enjoy and was glad to see him here. The cast outside of Brolin, Winslet, and Griffith have very little screen time, but they use their precious minutes wisely.

This movie does a good job of establishing interesting characters that we can relate to. That means when interesting things happen, we're invested in the characters. While the bulk of this movie is true drama, there are some legitimately thrilling moments sprinkled throughout. Jason Reitman does a great job of using these moments to spur the next level of drama. I really did think the film was well directed, which greatly contributes to its overall quality.

I came into Labor Day a bit grumpy and wanting to get through the experience. I found a heartfelt, touching story about characters that were interesting and felt real to me. I'm never so closed-minded as to change my thoughts when presented with alternate information. This movie won me over. While it's not quite emotionally powerful enough for me to consider it a great movie, this is a very, very solid film and one that's worth seeing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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