Labor Day is a romantic tale of second chances. Second chances in love, second chances in life, and second chances in finding happiness. That said, this isn’t a paint-by-numbers romance flick that hits all the cliché beats throughout; no, Labor Day is a heartfelt story about damaged people living with loss, loneliness and change, as they try to reconnect with the world around them as best they can.
Director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) has created a film that is just enjoyable to watch, with characters you can’t help but want to see find happiness. It’s easy to say that with most romantic films, as it’s rare to root for a couple not to make it; but there’s such a tenderness to the characters portrayed by Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, that you just wish the world outside would allow the pair to just disappear and live in peace.
And that isolated, hidden from the world feeling is something else that Reitman successfully creates in this world based off the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard. Winslet stars as Adele, an agoraphobic woman who has become a recluse since her husband (Clark Gregg) left her for his secretary years earlier. She lives with her son, Henry (Gattlin Griffith), who tries his best to fill the void left by a lack of male presence in the house – though even he’s aware that no matter how often he cleans up or makes breakfast in bed, it’s a void he can never fully fill.
That all changes when the two take a rare shopping trip to stock up on supplies that will allow them to stay within the confines of their home, and they’re confronted by a wounded escaped convict named Frank (Brolin) who asks for their help. Without much choice in the matter, Adele drives Frank to their home and agrees that he can stay there until an opening presents itself that will allow him to escape through the nearby train station.
What Reitman, editor Dana E. Glauberman, and composer Rolfe Kent do so well here is create an element of suspense that heavily contrasts the warm, sun-filled tones projected by cinematographer Eric Steelberg. This allows for a sense of tension to be felt by the viewer, even when things look beautiful and safe. This contrast remains quite strong throughout, even though Frank reveals himself to be a very helpful and friendly “kidnapper” early on. This mismatch of genre tones really gives Labor Day a unique feel that helps keeps the story engrossing from start to finish.
While the story is being told through Henry’s eyes (with voice over by Tobey Maguire, who plays Henry as an adult recalling the story), we’re given brief glimpses into Frank’s past through flashbacks from time to time. These are placed incredibly well throughout the story, and really keep the viewer questioning what it is that happened to Frank all those years ago that brought him to where he is now.
It’s not an easy task to play with the heartstrings of a viewer, while also keeping them on edge and uncertain of what the future holds for the characters involved; however, Reitman seems to pull it off with ease, hitting yet another filmmaking homerun with Labor Day.
The Blu-ray transfer of the film is really spectacular. The visuals are stunning, and there’s absolutely no distracting shots at any point. The blacks are rich, the colours are warm, and the all around look is incredibly sharp. The audio side of things also nails it, with a wonderful sound and dialogue mix.
On the special features side, things are somewhat sparse, and yet there’s not much more I could think of wanting to have. That said, there’s always more that could be added, but with what there is, fans of the film should be quite happy.
Audio Commentary – This commentary sees Director Jason Reitman, cinematographer Eric Steelberg, and First AD/Co-Producer Jason Blumenfeld talk about all aspects of the film, from pre-production right through the filmmaking process. For those interested in filmmaking, or just fans of informative commentaries, this is definitely one worth listening to.
End of Summer: Making Labor Day – This feature comes in at just under 30 minutes, and is the sole feature on the disc. It sees Joyce Maynard, the author of the book, touching on various subjects, as well as delving into the filmmaking process itself. There’s quite a bit covered here, and it’s at a length that most fans of special features will find satisfying.
Deleted Scenes – There are also a handful of deleted scenes, none of which are overly long, so check them out if you so desire.
Paramount Pictures and Indian Paintbrush Present Labor Day. Written for the Screen and Directed by: Jason Reitman. Based on the Novel by: Joyce Maynard. Starring: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire. Running time: 111 Minutes. Rating: PG. Released: April 29, 2014.
