TIFF Movie Review – Labor Day (2013)

An adolescent boy and his reclusive mother unwittingly assist an escaped convict.

A reclusive mother and her dutiful teenage son go on a monthly shopping trip which happens to occur during the Labor Day long weekend; they gain the unwanted attention of an escaped convict who forces them to provide him with a temporary place of refuge; it becomes a life changing event for all of those involved.

The narration of Tobey Maguire (Seabiscuit) effectively puts the events in the proper context.  Flashbacks are effectively incorporated in what would be best described as meditations.  All of the hands working together to make a piece pie visually represents the bonding between the captives and their keeper.  A subtle piece of background information is when the convict discovers a picture in a photo album which serves as a clue for the perpetual melancholy experienced by the mother. 

Neutrality is generally the tone of the musical score which forces the audience to determine if they should feel, happy, sad or mad.  The acting of Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) as a convicted murderer who is also a handy man to have along is subtle.  Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) is dependable as a woman perpetually succumbed by sadness and Gattlin Griffith (Under the Bed) has a watchfulness which adds to his presence on the screen.  The one who seems to be in a different movie is Brighid Fleming (The Sacred) who plays a sharp tongue older than her age girl; her dialogue feels like Juno dropped in the middle of a drama.

Filmmaker Jason Reitman seems to becoming a serious rather than comedic artist with mixed results.  Labor Day leaves a lasting impression but one wonders if events depicted could happen.  A significant message is the need for people to feel the touch of another human being.  The three days of captivity taught the mother and son a series of skills which are neatly pointed out occurring at different circumstances.  The conclusion feels too Hollywood as all of the loose ends are neatly tied together which makes one wonder if the story was more dream than reality.