I could count on one hand the number of movies I've seen with my pass that were so unenjoyable that I wouldn't see them again even if a friend wanted to. "Labor Day" does not make that list (another film, which I'll discuss in my next movie update does), but that doesn't mean it was anything resembling a good movie. In fact, the ludicrousness of some aspects of the film may have even helped to make it watchable, as my constant eye-rolling made me an active participant.
The biggest problem with the film is that its timeline robs it of all credibility. The main story takes place, as the title indicates, over Labor Day weekend. The evolution of the relationships between the characters is impossible over this short time frame. Kate Winslet's character goes from being held hostage by Josh Brolin in her own house, to falling in love with him, to planning to run away together to Canada. Over the course of a long weekend. There's such a thing as suspension of disbelief, but this is ridiculous. While watching the film, I often assumed that several days had passed, until "Saturday" was superimposed on the screen, reminding me that it had only been one.
There is also some problematic overacting going on near the end of the film. Two of the characters are questioned in one scene by a suspicious police officer, and in another by suspicious bank employees. They respond to this with such over the top nervous behavior (stumbling over words, huge eyes, etc.) that in a movie with any realism they would be increasing suspicion instead of averting it.
I saw this back in November around the time it came out, and enjoyed it. I didn't feel an overwhelming urge to see it again, but it was still in theatres and my pass would let me, so I figured "why not".
My opinion of it stayed the same. It's a good movie, but didn't change my life in any way. I enjoyed it more than the first film, which had too many shaky cam shots for my taste. My viewings of this film also benefitted from being done long after having read the book. When I saw the first "Hunger Games" film, I had just finished the book. This made some alterations from the text, even when justified, distracting. I was able to enjoy this film without having the book excessively fresh in my mind.
I don't really have much else in the way of critique to say about this film. It does its job effectively, and is a solid, skillfully made movie. There's nothing major in it to criticize, but also nothing so incredible about it to warrant effusive praise.
I've gotten through the first of my two books for February, and I'll have a little to say about that in my next post.
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