Cast: Kate Winslet, Clark Gregg, Josh Brolin
Director: Jason Reitman
Country: USA
Genre: Drama
Editor’s Notes: The following review is part of our coverage of the BFI London Film Festival. For more information on the festival visit http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff and follow the event on Twitter at @bfi.
Inspired by Joyce Maynard’s novel of the same name, Labor Day is Jason Reitman’s latest cinematic offering starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and the rising new talent, Gattlin Griffith. Reitman embarks on a new voyage into the realm of sweeping love stories in Labor Day, a film that bears no resemblance his previous accomplishments (Young Adult, Up In The Air, Juno) aside from the obvious choice of the lead character’s gender. This is a somewhat unexpected direction for Reitman, a filmmaker that characteristically nuances his films with a tinge of romantic comedy. Despite this U-turn in artistic style, the film remains an entertaining and fulfilling watch, sealed by the subtly heart-wrenching performances contributed by Winslet and Griffith supplementary to the touching dynamic of their onscreen relationship.
The initial premise of the film is set beautifully by Reitman’s thoughtful shots of a 1980s suburbia with the theme of isolation injected into the narrative very early on; the looming shots of the sizeable house that harbor Adele and Henry seem to reduce them in size and the lack of a stable father figure permeates every frame.
It is 1987 and Henry (Griffith) is a young and burdened 12 year old living alone with his depressed mother, Adele (Winslet). Often feeling he must compensate for the gaping absence of his father (Clark Gregg) who left shortly after Henry was born, he is in many ways his mother’s carer; he endeavours to cheer her up regularly through childish gestures, such as presenting her with a ‘husband for a day’ voucher and lavishing her with breakfast in bed and a date. Although he still visits his father every Sunday, Henry gets little satisfaction from being a part of his father’s apparently blissful utopia of a new relationship and the two sons that have come along with it. One day, when accompanying his mother on one of her rare excursions from their home he encounters Frank (Brolin) an escaped convict who convinces Adele to give him a ride as to avoid detection by the police. Hoping to catch a train out of the city the same night, he is reminded that there are no trains running; it’s Labor Day weekend. With few options available to them, Frank, Adele and Henry are stuck sharing the house until the weekend is over but a few surprises lay in store for all parties involved before the holiday reaches its conclusion.
The initial premise of the film is set beautifully by Reitman’s thoughtful shots of a 1980s suburbia with the theme of isolation injected into the narrative very early on; the looming shots of the sizeable house that harbor Adele and Henry seem to reduce them in size and the lack of a stable father figure permeates every frame. Overlaid with a deeply insightful narrated reflection by an older Henry (Tobey Maguire) that complements a wonderfully established narrative, the introduction of the film lacks discernible pace not to the detriment of Labor Day; the dull, repetitive tedium of Henry and Adele’s life requires no thumping heartbeat merely because it hasn’t got one to explore. Reitman is delicately cautious in this sense; he maintains the intrigue of the audience whilst crafting an initially steady film. Once the character of Frank is introduced, the film picks up speed. For a fleeting few moments, Reitman expertly balances tension with delicious anticipation and interest; Frank is a delightfully complexly written character: the window of unpredictability is opened for the briefest moment. Unfortunately, the narrative is downhill from this instant onwards.
From the lingering shots of Frank delicately and carefully constructing a peach pie with the help of Adele and Henry to the household chores he engages in, the outcome of the narrative becomes clearer and clearer; Labor Day is, within thirty minutes of its opening, massively predictable. It religiously follows a formula with a very specific dramatic structure that every member of the audience can identify without necessarily being able to say where from. Surprisingly, this flaw that could prove fatal, isn’t; Reitman’s artistic and finely balanced direction holds onto the threads of intrigue and simply won’t let go. Even though the audience knows what’s coming, they can’t look away. Watching the nature of the story and its beauty unfold is satisfyingly rewarding. The story arcs that the characters go through are fascinating to behold not because they’re particularly original or shocking but because of the way that Reitman chooses to expose them. Very little dialogue explains the psychological and emotional evolution of the characters, with the exception of Henry’s narration. Instead, meaningful glances and body language tell the audience all they need to know. This is particularly true of Adele; suffering from clinical depression, she is especially conservative in her speech. A woman of very few words, it is captivating to witness her emerge from her shell through her movements that gradually increase in confidence. Down in part to a stunning performance from Winslet, her character’s evolution is a truly fulfilling aspect of the film.
[Labor Day] religiously follows a formula with a very specific dramatic structure that every member of the audience can identify without necessarily being able to say where from. Surprisingly, this flaw that could prove fatal, isn’t; Reitman’s artistic and finely balanced direction holds onto the threads of intrigue and simply won’t let go.
Reitman’s vision of Labor Day is completed by stellar performances from the three leads. Griffith in particular provides a youthful focal point for the audience and carries it well; although irritatingly reserved at times, he fulfills and surpasses all expectations set and he and Winslet present an authentic mother-son relationship. As a pair, they are believable. Brolin steps away from his past mediocre action roles and embodies the persona of a truly tortured spirit beautifully. The non-linear flashbacks of his tragic past contribute in the shaping of his character and provide yet another level of intrigue to Labor Day; initially an ostensible enigma, Reitman keeps the audience hanging on by divulging details of Frank’s past one juicy scene at a time. Peripheral characters, such as Henry’s young love interest and his father don’t quite fit the jigsaw of the film; although allowing the spotlight to rest with Henry, they don’t offer much to the narrative. The young girl in Henry’s life is particularly irritating. His father is also a blandly written secondary character, used well only in flashbacks.
Despite its flawed narrative, Labor Day is redeemed by exquisite direction and the heart-warming performances of its primary characters; perhaps slightly implausible, the film is sweet, wholesome and beautifully touching. Never once is it boring or difficult to watch; deviating from his usual stance on filmmaking, Labor Day is a fine addition to Reitman’s ever growing body of high-quality work.
[notification type=”star”]71/100 ~ GOOD. Despite its flawed narrative, Labor Day is redeemed by exquisite direction and the heart-warming performances of its primary characters; perhaps slightly implausible, the film is sweet, wholesome and beautifully touching. Never once is it boring or difficult to watch; deviating from his usual stance on filmmaking, Labor Day is a fine addition to Reitman’s ever growing body of high-quality work. [/notification]
