Kate Winslet
Josh Brolin
Gattlin Griffith
Tobey Maguire

Jason Reitman

111 mins.
Drama, Romance
January 31, 2014

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, brief violence and sexuality. (MPAA)

“Labor Day” begins with an efficient setup. Its small-town setting (credits scene), time period (1987: music playing from a record, a station wagon, and the home decor), and mother-son relationship (filled-in by Tobey Maguire’s narration) are introduced fully yet sparsely. This film is all about feeling: It expertly conveys tension, fear, and longing.

When that tension is broken, you know it; it’s appropriately startling. You can feel all of those things, especially in Kate Winslet’s performance; she does a lot with very little dialogue. In general, this film has very little dialogue, and that’s a good thing.

The camera finds the right moments and helps to tell the story. The soundtrack helps to fill in the gaps created by the characters’ silences. It’s a soundtrack that hits all of the right notes for the mood: tentative and hopeful, yet wary and easily startled. You can feel the literal and figurative heat.

The plot’s all about sexual dormancy and awakenings. It’s about the little things that happen inside of us only to manifest themselves outwardly without us even knowing it. The use of food as an outlet for those feelings is well-executed. And everything moves to a nicely paced rhythm.

Gattlin Griffith gives an appropriately simple and observant performance as Winslet’s son. And Josh Brolin is well-cast as a man on-the-run who might be more than he seems. Brolin can easily convey danger and steadiness at the same time. It’s easy to see why Winslet’s character would fall for him, despite how far-fetched that is. While the story is highly improbable, it’s delivered with such great technique that it’s easy to invest in most of what happens.

Many have noted that this genre and subject matter are different from Jason Reitman’s other work, and they’re right. But the script retains his straightforward style (it’s more laconic than his other efforts, though). On the other hand, the story’s not so straightforward. The revelations of each main character’s hidden pasts and thoughts are revealed slowly. The more we know, the less power this film has; that’s unfortunate. This film’s spell lies in its mysteries; when things are explained, it becomes less gripping and more pedestrian.

Overall, “Labor Day” surprised me. The director, cinematographer, composer, and cast elevate material that could’ve easily devolved into Lifetime-movie territory. Yes, it’s flawed; yes, it loses some power by the end; but my eyes were glued to the screen throughout. If you don’t mind an improbable romance that’s well-executed, then check this out.

Verdict: Very Good

About: (Source: laborday)

“Labor Day” centers on 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers, a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives.