Labor Day

PG-13

Released Jan 31, 2014

1 hr. 51 min.

Romance

Drama

List

34%

200 Reviews

Tomatometer

54%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

At the tender age of 13, Henry Wheeler (Gattlin Griffith) grapples with the pains of adolescence while caring for his troubled, reclusive mother, Adele (Kate Winslet). One day while shopping for school supplies, Henry and Adele encounter Frank Chambers (Josh Brolin), an intimidating man but one who clearly needs their help. Frank convinces the two of them to take him into their home, but later it becomes clear that he is a convict who has escaped. Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard.

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Critics Consensus

Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin make for an undeniably compelling pair, but they can't quite rescue Labor Day from the pallid melodrama of its exceedingly ill-advised plot.

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Ron L

Another great movie where you can't trust the RT rating. It's a great story with great actors. Give it a shot, I was not disappointed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/03/24

Full Review

Jeff M

This is one of those "it only happens in the movies" movies that strains credibility to the brink of hilarity. An escaped convict teaches a divorcee and her son how to make a peach pie, and all their lives will be changed forever. 🙄. I've never used an emoji in a review before. This is a first. Anyway, this is a dreary, visually unappealing movie that almost feels like a stage play that was opened up for the cinematic landscape. Every single actor here appears to be on tranquilizers - I've never seen a film with such sleepy performances. Winslet in particular is a disappointment. Her performance is just bad posture and physical tics. It's almost like the movie is playing on the wrong speed - like when you'd slow down an Olivia Newton-John record and make her sound like Lou Rawls. The film is awkwardly interspersed with flashbacks that feel unnecessary and supporting characters who pop in out of nowhere and are completely forgotten. These are extremely talented people in front of and behind the camera, and I wish their time and energy had been used toward a more worthwhile endeavor.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/24

Full Review

Ron R

I liked it. I guess that reveals me as a hopeless romantic.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

donnie m

i just watched this in 2023-good movie but some 'really' bad acting by a few characters so 1 star off for that

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/03/23

Full Review

B J

I don't understand the low ratings. Yes, it's a bit implausible. But if you view it in the (analog) context of a 1980's, economically slow, small town, it's not such a huge reach. I was happy to suspend my disbelief in that regard, because the relationship development between the 3 main characters was so great. It's a beautiful story above the healing nature of enduring love. Not only romantic love, but the between mother and son. More importantly, it's an accurate portrayal of the destruction and pain that unrecognized and undiagnosed depression can have on individuals and their families. Kudos to the filmmakers for the sensitive handling of a hugely relevant issue, which nevertheless does not overshadow or distract from the central story in any way.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/31/23

Full Review

Blu B

It's got a lot of issues but it's ok overall. The biggest issue here is the subpar editing. It feels like once Frank arrives at the house they just kind of do stuff together with no real tension to overcome mainly because Frank is a nice guy already so it doesn't feel like anything is earned. The backstory of each character is out of place as well. From learning about Adele's pregnancy problems and Frank's sporadically placed backstory it breaks the focus constantly. Second, I can't tell you if this is supposed to be a hostage thriller, a love story, or a coming of age story. The tone is all over the place despite being a slow movie the entire way. Finally the main focus it feels like should've been Adele and not Henry as his coming of age stuff and romance subplot feel completely unneeded. The music is decent but its defintely boring and forgettable at times. Everything else is just kind of ok. The shots are well framed and the setting is memorable. Brolin gives a good performance and Winslet is decent as well. Henry is just kind of ok and is boring, generic, and forgettable despite getting most of the focus. His girlfriend feels so robotic and out of place and has no charm at all with him. No little girl talks like that. Also, at the end they make some really dumb decisions despite planning so much. Why would you not lock the door, why wouldn't you ask for only half the money, why would you let Henry on the first day of school walk around and not keep track of him while he delivers a note to his Dad. He could've done that later with no return address. It is such dumb decision making at the end by everyone. The ending is the bes part and kind of sweet though and does make up for some of the clunky moments. This needed to commit to either being a hostage thriller or a romance between Frank & Adele with Henry on the side. If your a big fan of Winslet or Brolin you may like this. Otherwise skip it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/13/23

Full Review

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Jason Reitman

Director

Kate Winslet

Adele

Josh Brolin

Frank

Gattlin Griffith

Henry

Tobey Maguire

Adult Henry

Clark Gregg

Gerald

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Labor Day: Official Clip - Adele Miscarries

2:54

Labor Day: Official Clip - Awkward Dinner

1:44

Labor Day: Official Clip - The Kidnapping

2:58

Labor Day: Official Clip - Frank's Letter

2:33

Labor Day: Official Clip - Barry Figures It out

2:18

Labor Day: Official Clip - Making Peach Pie

2:59

Labor Day: Official Clip - Frank's Arrest

2:34

Labor Day: Official Clip - Caught by the Neighbor

2:51

Labor Day: Official Clip - The Police Officer

2:41

Labor Day: Official Clip - First Kiss

1:21

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Too often, 'Labor Day' feels like a sternly resolved, self-consciously determined break from that tradition, a filmmaker deciding "I am making a Serious Drama" and steadfastly refusing to allow even a note of levity into the proceedings.

Jun 18, 2016

Full Review

Jonathan Romney

Observer (UK)

The initial Hitchcockian tension soon slackens into slop, with a dash of lukewarm eroticism.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 23, 2014

Full Review

Anna Smith

metro.co.uk

Performances are strong, the chemistry is palpable and romantic sorts will get something from the Stockholm syndrome story.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 21, 2014

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The movie’s compression of characterizations and storylines makes it seem like it was adapted from one of those trashy beach reads that are digested and forgotten over the course of one sunburnt afternoon.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 19, 2023

Full Review

Emiliano Basile

EscribiendoCine

The film doesn't round off a concise story, falling towards the end in the common places that tried so hard to avoid. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Sep 13, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Predictable, obvious, and far-fetched.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 18, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

At the tender age of 13, Henry Wheeler (Gattlin Griffith) grapples with the pains of adolescence while caring for his troubled, reclusive mother, Adele (Kate Winslet). One day while shopping for school supplies, Henry and Adele encounter Frank Chambers (Josh Brolin), an intimidating man but one who clearly needs their help. Frank convinces the two of them to take him into their home, but later it becomes clear that he is a convict who has escaped. Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard.

Director: Jason Reitman
Executive Producer: Steven Rales, Mark Roybal, Michael Beugg, Jeffrey Clifford
Screenwriter: Jason Reitman
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Right of Way Films, Mr. Mudd
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality|Brief Violence|Thematic Material)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 28, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.4M
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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