“I don’t think losing my father broke my mother’s heart, but rather losing love itself.” Henry, Labor Day

This movie was fine. That’s the best way I can describe it. I honestly don’t have a lot to say about it but I’ll try. The movie was forgettable to say the least. It wasn’t a bad movie per say, but it was rather just plain. Maybe it was because I (obviously) knew the story line but I just didn’t connect with the characters at all and was more excited that “Agent Colston” was the dad in the movie. I don’t regret watching it, but I’m definitely not going to buy it.

SPOILER ALERT

The movie left out all the awkward sex scenes when Henry is laying in bed listening to his mother and new escaped-convict-turned-boyfriend in the other room. For this I am thankful. The last thing I really wanted to listen to is Kate Winslet having really awkward, unnecessary sex.

The only notable change that I saw was how Henry told his friend that they were harboring the small-town-infamous fugitive. Also, we never saw the follow-up to why she told the cops – she wanted the reward money to pay for the expensive school she wanted to go to that her parents refused to pay for. In the book, Henry runs into her later and confronts her about it, but that was all cut.

SUMMARY

Overall, the movie just had a really dull tone. I can’t place my finger on it, but there was something missing that made it hard to connect to the characters or really even care what was happening. I love Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet, but I didn’t really believe the romantic connection that they were supposed to have.

GRADE: C-