Trailer Link

Release Date:

December 25, 2013

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry offer a wounded, fearsome man a ride. As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited.”

Poster: B / C+

Review: Positioning and lived-in clutter create a naturalistic environment for our actors instead of the lame posing done in many other designs that typically yank actors from the film into positions that don’t seem all too natural. The second design is significantly less detailed than the first, but is no less vital.

Trailer: B-

Review: As much as the trailer struggles to look original, reliance on corny dialogue and familiar situations makes it seem like a film that wants to be raw and original but never succeeds.

Oscar Prospects:

Once upon a time, Jason Reitman was a filmmaker Oscar prognosticators looked to to shake up the Oscar race. After his prior misfire and now this one, it looks like he may be the director we least look to for surprises. Early in this Oscar season, Labor Day had all the makings of a strong Oscar contender, but on the festival circuit, the film has gotten mixed-to-negative reviews, making it unlikely the film goes anywhere. Still, there’s talk of both Kate Winslet and, to a lesser extent, Josh Brolin, could still be contenders even if the film, its director and script are not.

Revisions:

(November 17, 2013) Original