Labor Day (2013) User Reviews

Surprisingly entertaining for this time of movie year.

[JohnDeSando · 30 January 2014]

"I'm a lot stronger than you think." "I don't doubt that." Adele and Frank.

Director Jason Reitman is no stranger to unusual family stories (Juno) or character drama (Up in the Air), so his enjoyable Labor Day is a bit of both without the humor. Because this is January, a dead-zone time for releases, it's even more impressive as an audience-pleasing drama about an escaped convict Frank (Josh Brolin) and a mother he kidnaps, Adele (Kate Winslet), along with her 7th grade son, Henry (Gattlin Griffith).

Let's get the formula out now: she falls in love with her captor and the son willingly learns about life and baseball. The real life, however, is hounding them as the law closes in on their 5 days of "family" bliss. However, the authorities are too slow to stop the best family pie making scene ever, domestic stuff just one of charming murderer Frank's gifts and a Reitman specialty.

Recently Mud is similarly about the coming of age and criminal motif and Revolutionary Road with Winslet about a disintegrating family. Yet Reitman and novelist Joyce Maynard have crafted a story that slowly makes believable the growing love between captive and captor, a relationship helped by the classy acting chops of Winslet and Brolin. Although everyone knows helping an escaped criminal leads to serious jail time, this case actually cuts Adele a great deal of slack in the guilty category. As Reitman slowly reveals their mutually grim backgrounds, we are aware that her needs for the touch of a lover are so acute that even this gamble could be worth the risk.

Although Labor Day comes close to Nicholas Sparks' sentimental claptrap, Reitman preserves everyone's dignity, lets love grow, and ushers a kid into a complicated world of love and danger—a labor of love, so to speak, on the film's titular weekend, typically American and hard work: "I sensed my inadequacy," says the adult Henry in voice over. In matters of the heart, we're all inadequate and need films like Labor Day to help us move on.

A deeply touching testament to true love and the unexpected ways we find it

[rannynm · 10/10 · 3 February 2014]

"Labor Day" is a deeply touching testament to true love and the unexpected ways we can find it. Adele, played by Kate Winslet, is a single mom struggling with severe depression and her son Henry has to take care of himself and his mother since she has difficulties leaving the house. One day, on a trip to the supermarket, Henry and Adele's lives change forever when they meet a man named Frank who is on the run from the law. Intimidated by the stranger, Adele agrees to help the man despite the fact that he is a wanted fugitive. Over the course of the next four days, Adele and Frank fall deeply in love, something that the two of them never thought they would experience again. However, things get complicated as the man-hunt continues and they realize that they don't have many options left.

I am absolutely in love with this film. It is so powerful and takes a new look at love and the second chances people can have. "Labor Day" is so incredible - every aspect of the movie mixes together perfectly to create a work of art. The visuals are incredible because the scenes are all relatively simple, but each shot is so sensory oriented that it allows the audience to experience what it was like for the character. The locations, costumes and set design are so authentic, and the soundtrack is very fitting for the film and it all comes together to create the perfect the perfect experience.

The acting in this film is phenomenal. There are very few characters and minimal dialogue, so everything is conveyed primarily through simple facial expression and the amazing film work. Kate Winslet does a superb job in this role and is able to communicate more emotions with her technique of subtle expressions than words ever could. Josh Brolin portrayal of Frank is absolutely perfect. He's able to break down the stereotypes placed on his character in the beginning of the film and shows that there is always more to the story than what is on the surface. I also think Gattlin Griffith, who plays Adele's son Henry, shows his characters struggle of having to be the "man" of the house in a very powerful way. You get the sense that he is terrified about what could happen to his family - his mother and himself - once Frank enters the picture, but he still tries to be strong. I love watching his character develop as Henry realizes that Frank might just be the best thing to ever happen to him and his mother. There are so many moments in the film where it seems as if something is going to go terribly wrong for the couple and the suspense of waiting to see what will play out adds an unexpected element of fear to the film. Kate, Josh and Gattlin are fantastic at giving the sense of not knowing what will happen to them in the near future and it really raises the stakes for the family.

Something else that I love about this film is how throughout the movie there are short flashbacks of the past and it is done in such a way that it is hard to tell whose past it is. I think this is neat because it shows that Adele and Frank are more alike than it seems and it is a miracle that they found each other. "Labor Day" is so touching that by the end of the film I was crying harder than I have at a movie in a really long time. It was so incredibly beautiful to see how love can endure no matter what trials surface and no matter how long people are apart. I'd like to believe that everyone can find a love like that and this movie shows that no matter how hurt you have been, there is always another chance for love.

I recommend this movie for ages 13 to 18 because it is very emotional and a bit mature so it may be challenging for younger kids to understand the storyline fully. Overall I give "Labor Day" 5 out of 5 stars because it made me laugh, cry, and it tugged on my heart strings.

Reviewed by Raven D., KIDS FIRST Film Critic. For more youth reviews go to kidsfirst dot org.

A new kind of film from Reitman

[LetwitJr · 8/10 · 10 September 2013]

I attended the premiere of Labor Day at the Toronto International Film Festival. Most people walked in expecting a Juno/Up in the Air style comedy and if that's what you expect you'll be mildly surprised. The film is darker that Reitman's usual works though you still recognize the director's touch.

The movie tells the story of Adele (Kate Winslet), a woman who slowly shut herself off from the world, relying heavily on her young son Henry (Gattlin Griffith), whose father abandoned them to another wife and other children. Enters a menacing escaped convict (Josh Brolin) who finds refuge with Adele and her son as he tries to remain hidden from the police.

The summary will have you believe that 'the mother and son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited.' or that the family realizes they're now prisoners in their own home which makes it sound like the movie is going to be some sort of Panic Room 2 but the story is nothing like that. As Adele and her son get to know the prisoner, they both find the family they've been longing for.

It's a beautiful story despite being somewhat implausible but I found what mattered wasn't the story we see, so much as witnessing the characters finally having a shot at happiness and how the remainder of their days is shaped by this weekend they spent together. This film isn't driven by dialogue as much as Reitman's other films were. The director has said in interviews that he found it challenging to do a movie where there was little dialogue (he actually said without music or dialogue and I walked in half expecting to see a silent film.) He worked around it by having Tobey Maguire narrate the film as an older Henry. The narration works though I think the film could have done without it as well. Don't let the whole 'silent' thing keep you from seeing this film, I found there was enough dialogue, and there is music as well though unlike Juno it doesn't play as a whole hipster soundtrack.

The movie is more subtle yet more raw, slower than his usual films and it lets the actors take us through every emotion. Kate Winslet is a terrific actress and she gave a beautiful performance as Adele, very convincingly portraying a woman who's given up on living. Josh Brolin was great as well, giving us both a tough convict and a soft hearted man at times. Gattlin Griffith was great at a kid who grew up faster than he should. I'm always very iffy when it comes to child actors but he pulled it off very well.

In conclusion, Labor Day is a different, more adult and more mature film from Jason Reitman. It's a nice transitions from his previous comedies and goes a bit deeper than his other films, bringing tension, tears and some laughs. Whether you're already a Reitman fan or not, I recommend this film, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

a very human movie

[r-hehl · 7/10 · 14 May 2014]

Today I gave my rating for this movie that I really liked. I did not want to write a review but I was a little disappointed by the summary for the movie written on IMDb. It says: "Depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry offer a wounded, fearsome man a ride." Adele and her son do not offer the man a ride which is very important for the story. Having said this, let me say a little about this movie. The movie plays very nicely with fear and tension. Any moment we expect something very terrible to happen. Murder, betrayal, rape, you name it. In contrast, an interesting and amicable relationship between the three main characters develops. The movie even has a happy end that is kind of unexpected. Seeing this movie I felt like being in an earthquake only to learn afterwards that no damage was done.

A Journey Into Relationships and Haunting Dreams

[mkelly54 · 9/10 · 3 February 2014]

If you're interested in a good adult romantic drama, look no further than the movie "Labor Day."

Superior acting by Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and young Gattlin Griffith, this is a story with multi- layered depth and haunting flashbacks through dreams ... some viewers might become impatient as the various dream scenes flicker across the movie screen. Just wait, it's all done with amazing dramatic effect, and when the dream scape finally reveals itself, you'll be impressed with the final story.

More importantly, "Labor Day" displays the under utilized message of the impact of relationships, even though the positive results are revealed many years later.

The soundtrack is unusual and haunting, providing a surreal effect on the entire production.

An art film, more focused on emotions and senses than story

[outdoorcats · 10 November 2013]

Labor Day is an unbelievably gorgeous mood piece, a finely-tuned film which is strongly driven by senses and emotions over plot or story. It's arguably one of the best films of 2013.

I haven't seen a Reitman film since Juno so I haven't caught up. So I'm not sure where he matured from a 'good' director of a quirky script to an 'art' director who can carry an entire film on his shoulders. That's not to say everyone else in this film didn't do a great job. But the film works because of Reitman's meticulous vision.

Heavy use of cross-fades, editing driven by emotional undercurrent over logic, and some stream-of-consciousness flowing from a mysterious source. The music is avant-garde and beautiful, one moment eerie and unsettling, the next pleasant and lilting. Which reflects the way the film, like a piece of classical music, displays sudden shifts of mood or tonality, back and forth, requiring your utmost concentration and appreciation.

Writing too much else would spoil the fun. But the mindset you should bring this film, should you want to see it, is to give yourself over to the experience, rather than bringing an overly (and unnecessarily) critical mind to it's 'unoriginal' or 'uneventful' plot.

what happens over one Labor Day

[blanche-2 · 10/10 · 21 November 2013]

Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin star in "Labor Day," a 2013 film directed by Jason Reitman and also starring Gattlin Griffith and Toby McGuire.

Winslet plays Adele, a divorced woman who has never really recovered from being alone; her husband has remarried, and she lives in a ramshackle house whose interior speaks of her depression. It's a mess, with stuff all over the place. She lives there were her little boy Henry (Griffith). One day, while they're out shopping, Henry meets Frank (Josh Brolin) who asks for a ride. When Henry tells his mother they're giving him a ride, she politely refuses. Frank insists, and sits in the back with Henry. When Adele asks him where he wants to go, he says, "your house." Frank is an escaped convict, and everyone is looking for him. So it doesn't look like they abetted him, he ties Adele and Henry up, planning to leave that evening.

This movie is a great example of how a totally predictable story where not much happens can still be a wonderful film and a work of art - in fact, more of a work of art because it is so predictable and yet manages to hold interest. It's the story of family, of hope, and of love. Both Winslet and Brolin act with incredible sensitivity, and Griffith is adorable as Henry, a good kid who sees his mother's unhappiness and doesn't know how to help her.

It's a sentimental film, but I didn't mind (well, I wouldn't anyway, but I think even people who don't like sentimentalism won't mind it). I found it totally satisfying and romantic, and wasn't at all surprised to hear it's opening on Christmas Day. There is room for all types of films - this is not a huge blockbuster, just a sweet story that fits in well with the spirit of the holidays.

Menaced by a fugitive or relishing a Godsend in New Hampshire?

[Wuchakk · 8/10 · 21 August 2019]

A depressed single woman (Kate Winslet) from New Hampshire is compelled to give a questionable man a ride (Josh Brolin) and allows him to briefly recuperate at her verging-on-rundown house where she lives with her son who's almost 13 (Gattlin Griffith). How will their Labor Day weekend go? James Van Der Beek has a small role as a cop.

"Labor Day" (2013) is a superb adult-oriented drama with an understated sense of possible menace mixed with a little romance. There are elements of "A Perfect World" (1993), "The Bridges of Madison County" (1995), "Macho Callahan" (1970) and "The Place Beyond the Pines" (2012).

This is a spiritual movie about the tragedies and blisses of the human experience. Masculinity is portrayed in a positive way for a change while not neglecting to illustrate its potential drawbacks. Winslet is excellent in her role; she gets more beautiful as she ages. Meanwhile the stunning Maika Monroe has a peripheral role.

The film runs 1 hour, 51 minutes, and was shot mostly in Massachusetts (e.g. Shelburne Falls), as well as Salem, New Hampshire.

GRADE: A-

beautiful

[Kirpianuscus · 23 February 2019]

This word say nothing. Because the beauty of this film is bitter and hard and melancholic and high delicate. The life of a single mother and her son is changed in profound sense by the presence of a stranger. A love story. And more. A story about chance and a sort of profound America, so familiar to not Americans, a sort of peach pie in the veil of cinnamon. And magnificent performances. Not surprising but a precious gift.

..you can find love in the most unexpected places

[bcheng93 · 7/10 · 16 April 2014]

OK, Josh Brolin has redeemed himself after the disaster of "Old Boy", phew...i was getting worried there as he is one of my favorite actors. this movie is totally different then what i had thought of it in my head. i thought it was gonna be a little bit like the movie " a perfect world " but it was nothing like that.

i was surprised this movie came and went without any fanfare as it really is a good movie and one of my favorites of the year. the 2 adult leads were great and the kid was also very good.

the story is about an escaped convict who gets holed up in a mentally fragile divorcée and her sons home over Labor Day and then what happens the next few days and the consequences of peoples actions even if they didn't mean anything bad by doing such acts.

loved the setting in a slow moving beautiful town atmosphere where it seems like everything moves like molasses, there seem to be a calmness to the picture but right underneath that you could feel the uneasiness and hidden angst of each of the characters in this movie.

also this is a movie about the coming of age of the boy and some of the logical and illogical choices he makes, including one biggg one that has direct consequences for Josh Brolins character.

very very solid movie, bittersweet and moving, almost, but not made me cried. Josh Brolin is back on track again, very good performance from him and everybody involved. one of the must see movies of the year.

Despite dips into sentimentality, Labor Day is tender and heartbreaking.

[Sergeant_Tibbs · 8/10 · 31 December 2013]

I loved the Labor Day script. I read it a few months ago and while I had doubts about the concept and Jason Reitman at first, it ended up winning me over within pages. Maybe it's because it was written with such wit and tenderness, but it's a human story that truly flows with the emotion delivering the images and intimacy required to express its ideas, dancing just above sentimentality. Although its story is slight, it was satisfying and very rich, taking a situation I'm surprised it hasn't been explored in a more popular film and hitting major themes of family structures and cycles of life. It truly disappoints me to hear that people are not only disliking it, but hating it. It feels like it's being approached from the worst perspective, bracing themselves to cringe. I'm not exactly a Reitman fan either. I think Juno is terrible and it took a rewatch to fall in love with Up In The Air after thinking it was mediocre the first time.

While Labor Day may be far from Reitman's regular tone, in execution it instead highlights his style of energetic and creative cinematography and editing. Like the effect of the script, you can feel the heat and taste the food. Surprisingly, as it's a particularly challenging role given that these types of performances usually struggle, our kid protagonist Gattlin Griffith holds his own among the cast. Kate Winslet is reliably great. These characters seem to be her comfort zone and she's certainly perfected her craft, but we don't often enter her headspace. However, the real standout is Josh Brolin. His performance is the epitome of less-is-more and sells his complex character perfectly. Sinister and cold, yet deep and sensual. The idea that he's doing all the mundane things he hasn't been able to do in decades brings simple delights. It's the measured moments where he cracks that show the breadth of his performance as he breaks down the stereotype of a convict.

Unfortunately, some characters don't work very well, such as kid actors Barry and Eleanor who don't have the conviction to make their scenes work. The flashbacks to Frank's past don't have the same effect as the script despite the eerily similar looking young actor, as they're more confusing than clarifying. Contrary to common complaint, this is not like a lifetime movie. I happened to have watched some recently and they're more concerned with twists and insanity, instead Labor Day is closer to a 1950s domestic melodrama. Think more Far From Heaven than anything. I have a little bias as to how much I like this film, but I walked into the script blind too. Though it need not have had the orchestra swell during the on-the-nose summary lines about what the film's events mean to the characters, Labor Day's emotional punch of two souls bonded by tragic pasts still breaks my heart. I'm just glad Tobey Maguire helped rather than hurt.

8/10

A great performance from Kate Winslet

[amirma-78982 · 7/10 · 18 August 2020]

The story was good and I felt myself like watching one of 80i movies, Kate Winslet performance was extraordinary you don't even feel she is acting she is living her role and being so nature in that.

Much better than I expected

[jdj2122 · 9/10 · 15 September 2013]

The movie Labor Day stars Kate Winslet, Gattlin Griffith, and Josh Brolin. When I saw this film yesterday, I was lucky enough to have the director, Jason Reitman, get up on stage and introduce the movie. He made it clear that this film was not a comedy, but a romantic drama that he made with tons of passion. For what it is, I think the film is amazing. I will warn you, this is a film was made for women, but guys can appreciate it too.

So this movie was fun to watch. There was a lot of tension, and the actors did a good job of making even the unbelievable situations seem natural. There was a mystery that unfolded over the course of the movie, and the film was able to create real emotion and genuine shock from the audience. There is also great cinematography, nice subplots, and a final quarter that keeps you guessing. I'm not exaggerating any of this, so seriously ignore the critics and give this film a chance.

The main thing that is wrong with the film is a certain level of disbelief, but it doesn't require more suspension of disbelief than any of the big blockbuster movies. It could also get cheesy and a little uncomfortable to watch at times, but it is still a great movie. i hope Jason Reitman continues to make great movies, as he has not made a single misstep in his career yet.

This is a good movie to take a girl to on a date, and I'm sure you both could enjoy it. It is a little like a Nicolas Sparks book except with Oscar level acting, directing, cinematography, and screen writing, so if that sounds like your kind of thing, I highly recommend this movie, and reward it with an 8.7/10 stars.

A film that stimulates different types of hunger

[Arit · 20 September 2013]

For a relatively young filmmaker, Jason Reitman is a keen observer and a skilled storyteller. In "Thank You for Smoking" and "Up in the Air" he has offered unique and insightful views into the business world, and in his latest "Labor Day" he continues to intrigue us with a different subject, a fragmented family that yearns to become full again.

Kate Winslet, Gattlin Griffith, and Josh Brolin bring palpable chemistry as a tired single mother, her whole-world adolescent son, and a ragged man who walks into their life by chance. The somewhat contrived setup is compensated with an intimate observation of these very different characters, as they learn to appreciate and show us precisely what they can do to complement each other. Like other Reitman films, this one has signs of wisdom embedded here and there. There may be a simple quote that comes to greater significance in a later scene, or a plot device that may start making sense when the film is about to finish.

The ending is rather rushed and roughly executed with the older version of Winslet looking eerily lively and the brief appearance of Tobey Maguire that feels superfluous. Still, the meticulous and sensual narrative of the film is so inspirational that, when the film is over, you will find your senses heightened in more ways than one.

We will always remember this holiday

[aharmas · 9/10 · 7 February 2014]

For openers, how can anything with Kate Winslet go wrong? She is a splendid actress with a tremendous range. She has given us full bodied characters full of energy and a desire to live to the fullest; such was Rose in "Titanic", and she can show pain at most unbearable levels, with the guilt-ridden wife of "Revolutionary Road". In fact, she keeps surprising us with the power behind each character, and the agoraphobic, hurt, and lonely woman here is one of her best portrayals.

A divorcée with a young 7th grader suddenly finds herself in the middle of a crisis, as this fugitive comes into her life, and in the most unexpected way brings some passion to her tortured soul. Watching her fearfully walk out of her home to do the simplest errands is heartbreaking. There is pain in her eyes, hesitation in each step she makes. Tears and anxiety are not far behind. Your heart breaks as you see how terrible her life must be, and it's horrible to see how much she wants to take care of her family, and this proves to be a source of more stress and pain.

You would think allowing the runaway into her life will end up to crash and fall into a abyss of madness; instead the opposite occurs, and she regains some of her will to live, passion causing tremors in her fingers, and soon her perspiration is not only the result of a September heatwave. She is embracing life as she meets a man who at other times could have been her perfect soul mate. She is getting a second chance and she rushes to embrace it.

There is a back story to the fugitive. He is apparently a much nicer man that the media portrays him. Maybe he's not completely innocent, but we soon realize that this poor might just be a victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. We still manage to see his influence in her life, and those five days are among the most memorable for a mother and a son, and how everyone is getting a second chance to realize that life is indeed full of wonderful things.

The movie is full of love, pain, anticipation, fear, anxiety, and it is all there for the audience to accompany the three leads on their difficult journey. A young man comes of age, a woman suddenly seems to be getting a second chance, and a man demonstrates that he will enjoy a few days of freedom to the fullest now that he has a small chance to finally have a real family.

"Labor Day" doesn't disappoint. It is pretty easy to follow and enjoy. There's no elaborated situations, the emphasis is on reality, not distracting camera work, fancy dialogue, or reliance on loud and vulgar language, though there is plenty of opportunity here to use offensive vocabulary in the film It's a bit like an old fashioned romance, one with more tragic overtones that we normally see in a Hollywood movie. In my opinion here is a film that works because the people in here are real and share our fears and hopes.

An unexpected treasure

[blumdeluxe · 8/10 · 12 January 2019]

"Labor Day" tells the story of a single mother that struggles with the loss of her unfaithful husband and develops serious psychological issues that rarely allow her to leave the house, making the relationship to her little son very intense. When they go out to shop groceries one day, a man who just fled prison forces himself into their life and leaves remarkable traces.

The story is told with a lot of wisdom and empathy. It is a love story, however most of the time it avoids becoming too cheesy and manages to create an atmosphere where you really wish the best to all the characters. Unfortunately, some parts of the plot bend the plausibility a bit too far in my opinion and are too easily identifiable as scripted but that doesn't change the fact that the overall impression is strongly positive, supported by great acting and a beautiful narration.

All in all this is a special little film that follows some well-known patterns but succeeds in the try to outstand them most of the time.

Well-acted Reitman attempt at dramatic love story adaptation

[george.schmidt · 7/10 · 31 January 2014]

LABOR DAY (2014) *** Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire, Tom Lipinski, Maika Monroe, Clark Gregg, James Van Der Beek, JK Simmons, Brooke Smith, Brighid Fleming, Alexie Gilmore. Jason Reitman's adaptation of Joyce Maynard's dramatic love story set in 1987 about a recently divorced, downward spiraling into depression woman (Winslet, sublimely perfect) and tween son (Griffith) who encounter a fugitive (Brolin acquitting himself nicely) who presses upon staying with them thru the titular three day holiday weekend to avoid the authorities while discovering there are more than one thing that meets the eyes for all the principals involved. While the acting is very good the storyline is at times telegraphed for an all- too-knowing climax and anti-climax too boot yet well worth the viewing even if it is for its much ballyhooed peach pie making sequence meant to rival the clay-sculpture sensuality of "GHOST" (it isn't close).

a drama, a thriller, a love story and much more.

[baunacholi-86159 · 9/10 · 6 May 2022]

Mrs. Kate Winslet, yet again absolutely wonderful, giving us a natural & nuanced performance. The hospital scene alone should have earned her another academy award. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Labor Day has tense moments, heartfelt and light phases and towards the end it might break your heart. A movie, unfortunately overseen in many ways, touched me deeply and reminded me what's truly important in life.

Reminded me of 'MUD' and 'NOWHERE TO RUN'!

[Hellmant · 8/10 · 4 February 2014]

'LABOR DAY': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Jason Reitman (The director of such critically acclaimed hits as 'JUNO', 'YOUNG ADULT', 'UP IN THE AIR' and 'THANK YOU FOR SMOKING') wrote and directed this coming-of-age drama about a single mother and her son who take a convict (who's on the run from the law) into their home over Labor Day weekend. It's based on the novel of the same name (by Joyce Maynard) and stars Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and Gattlin Griffith. The story is pretty simplistic but the book is supposed be pretty emotional and I think the film rises above it's storyline as well, thanks to a great cast and Reitman's excellent directing.

It's narrated by Henry Wheeler (Griffith) when he's an adult in present day (Tobey Maguire). It takes place in 1987, over the long Labor Day weekend, and revolves around Henry (when he's 13) and his mother Adele (Winslet). Adele has been dealing with some major depression for quite some time, so much so that her husband (Clark Gregg) left her years ago. She only leaves the house once a month, to go shopping, and relies heavily on Henry to help her out. While they're clothes shopping (before the holiday) they run into a wounded man named Frank (Brolin), who makes them give him a ride to their house (where he can rest). They then find out Frank is an escaped convict, and supposedly dangerous, but as they get to know him (over the next few days) they learn his true story (and develop relationships with him). We also learn about Adele's troubled past as Henry copes with all the drama (while also learning about girls for the first time).

The movie actually reminds me a lot of a similar themed film from earlier this year called 'MUD'. It's not nearly as well made ('MUD' is one of my favorite movies of 2013) but it is a good film. Like I said the story is simplistic and it's the type of movie that could have easily turned into an action flick (in other people's hands) starring Jason Statham or Jean-Claude Van Damme, in his day (and I think I saw that movie; it was called 'NOWHERE TO RUN'). The cast breaths a lot of life into their characters though (especially Winslet, who's amazing) and Reitman's directing is once again superb. 'JUNO' is one of my favorite movies and while this doesn't have the genius of Diablo Cody as a writer I still think Reitman can make any story emotionally and visually stunning on-screen. Not a great film but it's definitely a good one.

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xzh1FLmMq4

Labor Day was a fine drama from Jason Reitman

[tavm · 9/10 · 4 February 2014]

Just watched this with my movie theatre-working friend. He and I were quite intrigued by this drama about a young pre-teen boy and his divorced mom who encounter a stranger who manages to get them to take him to their home and hides there while a lookout is out on him. He has a past that caused him to be jailed but the way it happened wasn't deliberate, just was. The estranged woman herself had some personal problems that caused her previous hubby to seek a new life. And this boy does what he can to make them deal the best way they can with what happens between them. This was quite good in the situations that were handled and realistic in what the results were. Jason Reitman does well in his direction in handling leading players Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin and the way the son is played by Gattlin Griffith. So on that note, I recommend Labor Day.

A Labor to Watch.

[anaconda-40658 · 4/10 · 11 September 2015]

Labor Day (2013): Dir: Jason Reitman / Cast: Josh Brolin, Kate Winslet, Gattlin Griffith, Brighid Fleming, Tobey Maguire: Manipulative drivel about a long weekend that brought passion and love in the most unexpected way. Kate Winslet plays a single mother battling depression, and Gattlin Griffith plays her wise beyond years son. Josh Brolin plays an injured escape convict who spends the weekend at their house. He means no harm and declares that the murder charge isn't what the news is reporting. There is a back story that regards getting home after Vietnam only to learn that his baby really isn't his. Winslet's husband ran off with his secretary so her son does most of the errands. Starts out interesting until manipulation sets in. He ties her up gently hinting the pathetic attempt at kinky. Neighbors stop by unannounced then they make a peach pie. Even the cop stopping by seems like a bad plot contrivance. This doesn't end with the satisfaction that perhaps director Jason Reitman believes he achieves but this is a major step down after directing great films like Juno and Thank You For Smoking. The principal actors play out their roles with appeal and sometimes conviction but smaller roles are an annoyance. We have Tobey Maguire in a brief role as the film's narrative. The biggest idiot is a manipulative girl, played by Brighid Fleming who comes off like an adult in a juvenile body. Her talks with Griffith are never convincing and further lend reason why this is nothing more than a high budget soap opera unworthy of viewing on any day let alone Labor. Score: 4 ½ / 10

A good film overall

[Gordon-11 · 13 June 2014]

This film tells the story of a depressed single woman and her son, who helps harbouring a fugitive over the Labot Day weekend.

To be honest, if it was not for the presence of Kate Winslet, I would probably not have watched "Labor Day". Kate Winslet's performance as a depressed woman is very amazing. The initial part of the film shows her clinically depressed, and she looks and acts 100% like a depressed woman. What's more amazing is that she improves over the course of the film, and Kate Winslet plays the improvement beautifully and convincingly.

As for the plot, the initial hour is so boring as the build up is far too long. Fortunately, the second half of the film picks up pace, with thrills and suspense built into it. The very emotional ending makes up for the boring first half, and saved the film for me. It is very rewarding to see how Frank has made a lasting effect on both the mother and son.

A Straw Dog on the run in Madison County

[tigerfish50 · 4/10 · 18 October 2013]

'Labor Day' begins in a broken American household. After his parents' divorce, a sensitive seventh-grader chooses to stay with his depressed mother rather than join his father's new family. Henry and Adele remain trapped in a sad, dysfunctional relationship as a child parenting a traumatized adult until they embark on a fateful shopping trip prior to a holiday weekend. They are accosted in a discount store by a threatening stranger, Frank, who demands they give him a ride in their car, and accompanies them to their dilapidated rural home. By the next morning it's apparent he's a dangerous escaped convict, and his departure has become impossible since a police dragnet has surrounded the area.

After this disturbing first act, the film soon leaves 'Desperate Hours/Straw Dogs' territory in the rear view mirror and enters a sunlit world similar to 'The Bridges of Madison County'. Frank confounds pessimistic expectations by coaching Henry in baseball skills, doing various household odd-jobs, servicing the car and baking peach pies. Before too long he's also healing Adele's aching loneliness with his peachy massage techniques. Fine performances from the three lead actors hold the film together, but can't prevent the story's drift into sentimentality and implausibility. The epilogue stretches any remaining credulity beyond belief as it panders to the feel-good requirements of a rich box-office harvest.

Interesting storyline

[cc0077 · 8/10 · 18 March 2022]

I watched this movie because there was a scene from a review that made me wonder what this movie as about. At first, I was intrigued by the unique storyline although there were some scenes that were somewhat questionable. I ended up crying my eyes out towards the ending, I loved the movie overall!

Kate Winslet proves again that she is one of the greatest actresses of all times.

[gioprete79 · 7/10 · 4 December 2013]

I haven't got to say a lot about this upcoming motion picture but praise Kate Winslets dynamic intimate and breath taking performance.Kate once again gives it all on the big screen. And one thing I am telling you for sure, she is going for an Oscar. Since we saw Kate winning that golden statue back in 2009 for her performance in the historic ''The Reader'', Kate has been a bit distant from the screen. Apart from her minor movie roles in ''Contagion'' and ''Movie 43'' and of course the successful ''Carnage'', Kate hadn't had a big emotional performance like that for years. The English Rose once again leaves us with tears on our eyes with her performance. She proves us through the film that she for sure deserves the title of one of the greatest actresses of all times. Apart from Winslet's praised and acclaimed performance the film is generally very good and it will make you tear a bit that's a fact! However, the screenplay is a bit dull for this film and the rhythm of the whole motion picture a bit slow. I wont be surprised if the film receives mixed reviews from critics.