Labor Day (2013)

Depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry offer a wounded, fearsome man a ride. As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited.

Director:

Jason Reitman

Writers:

Jason Reitman (screenplay), Joyce Maynard (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Winslet	...	Adele
Josh Brolin	...	Frank
Gattlin Griffith	...	Henry
Tobey Maguire	...	Adult Henry
Tom Lipinski	...	Young Frank
Maika Monroe	...	Mandy
Clark Gregg	...	Gerald
James Van Der Beek	...	Officer Treadwell
J.K. Simmons	...	Mr. Jervis
Brooke Smith	...	Evelyn
Brighid Fleming	...	Eleanor
Alexie Gilmore	...	Marjorie
Lucas Hedges	...	Richard
Micah Fowler	...	Barry
Chandra Thomas	...	Bank Teller

Storyline

A depressed mother's husband has left her for she could not bear a second child. Living alone with her only son, she has an unlikely meeting with an injured escaped convict, and reluctantly takes him into her own care. The man proves to be better than his criminal image as the three bond over Labor Day weekend. The only problem? Everyone in town is looking for him.

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Plot Keywords:

tied to a chair | escaped convict | neighbor | baseball practice | baseball | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, brief violence and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Brazil] Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 January 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aires de esperanza

Filming Locations:

Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,175,282, 2 February 2014, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$13,362,308, 16 March 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Indian Paintbrush,Mr. Mudd,Right of Way Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital Datasat Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the book, the library is open on Sunday because of a book sale.

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Goofs

While making the peach pie and Adele puts the top on, peaches are squeezing out. But in the next shot, without fixing, the top is perfectly placed and Frank commends her on a perfect job.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Adult Henry: It was just the two of us after my father left. She said I should count the baby he had with his new wife Marjorie as part of my family too. Plus Richard, Marjorie's son. For the most part my mother never mentioned my father, or the woman he was married to now.

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode dated 30 January 2014 (2014)

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Soundtracks

It Ain't Necessarily So
Written by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward and Dorothy Heyward
Performed by Cal Tjader
Courtesy of Concord Music Group, Inc.

User Reviews

what happens over one Labor Day

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.