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).
Review of Labor Day
Labor Day
(2013)
Well-acted Reitman attempt at dramatic love story adaptation
31 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers