Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard, “Labor Day” is a romantic, suspense drama written and directed by Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”). It’s a tricky film to analyze and appreciate because, while it has several strong qualities, there are many critical flaws. Fortunately, the performances and emotional impact outweigh some absolutely ridiculous plot elements.
The story is set in 1987 in a rural, New Hampshire town. Kate Winslet received a Golden Globe nomination for her superb performance as Adele. She’s a divorced mother with an adolescent son who’s about to enter the 7th grade. Henry (played by Gattlin Griffith) has been taking care of his lonely, depressed mother, who rarely goes out in public, since his father moved out and remarried.
It’s Labor Day weekend. On their monthly trip to the supermarket, Henry meets Frank (the always excellent Josh Brolin). He has just jumped out of a window and is seriously injured. He asks Henry and Adele for a ride and a place to rest for a while. But soon Adele and Henry learn that Frank has escaped from a prison hospital (where he was serving time for murder). Frank assures the mother and son that he won’t harm them and that there is more to the story of his crime.
Clearly, Adele and Henry picked the wrong day to go grocery shopping. Or did they? As “Labor Day” continues, the long holiday weekend turns into a life-changing 5-days for all three of them – as Adele and Henry and Frank grow closer, each of them so needy for what the other has to offer.
Many may find the relationship twists and surprises in the script to be so unbelievable they’re laughable. Two women at the screening I attended couldn’t stop laughing throughout most of it. And I’ll admit, “Labor Day” is often a little far-fetched: for a guy supposedly hiding from the police Frank is way too noticeable around the yard. And some of his and Adele’s motives and a subplot involving Henry and his first romance are a little tough to accept. Reitman needed to tighten-up things up a bit to make the story more reality-based.
However, there’s something about the simplicity of “Labor Day” that makes it engaging and effective. There are some intense, shocking, and heartbreaking moments, and in the final act (minus an unnecessary flashforward with narrator Tobey Maguire actually popping-up on screen), “Labor Day” hits so hard, particularly in one flashback sequence, that some parts are difficult to watch.
There are times when the film goes overboard in an attempt to add dramatic tension to an already tense situation, but it still keeps its hold on you. Reitman succeeds in making us care about these multi-layered characters and how this is all going to play out.
“Labor Day” is rated PG-13 for language, brief violence, some adult material, and disturbing situations and images. It’s appropriate for mid-teens and up.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Labor Day” gets a B-.