Labor Day Starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin

     Beautifully shot and wonderfully edited, this offbeat love story could be titled THE HANDYMAN.

And Josh Brolin fllls the bill.  Kate Winslet plays the ‘damaged’ex-wife of Clark Gregg.  But whoever cast the young boy should be honored. The 14-year-old’s eyes light up the screen with a transcendent knowledge that leads me to believe that  Jason Reitman is not a good director but a Great One.  Not wanting to give away the plot (convict on the run), I will say this:  the first half made me hunger for homemade peach pie and a quiet, sexy woman.

    The second half, even with one or two minor flaws, won the audience over with this people’s film. Only one or two scenes in the last five minutes  could have been tightened or excised without loss of rhythm.  However, the cutting in the Flashbacks are perfectly placed, mysterious and intriguing. Mention should be made for the J.K. Simmons’scene (it’s peachy), the cop scene with an older, still-handsome James Van der Beek, plus the Narration by Tobey Maguire—all beautifully rendered.

     Again, the performances, Editing and Directing were First Class.   Personally, I felt the Music in the first half

was a bit repetitive.  Second half was better with its homage to John Williams.  LABOR DAY is definitely a film to see for the Romantics at heart.  Save me a seat, and hold the popcorn.

Review by Ken Del Conte