Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- intimate
- suspenseful
- quiet evening
- literary adaptation night
What critics said
Critics generally found Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin compelling and the film intermittently moving, but regarded its sentimental tone and implausible romance as difficult to overcome.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Adele and Henry shelter the injured escaped convict Frank while the town searches for him, making emotional closeness inseparable from danger.
Adele’s rundown country house and solitary life with Henry form the intimate physical and emotional center of the story.
Frank’s presence gradually creates a bond among himself, Adele, and Henry despite his criminal status and their fractured family history.
Adult Henry, played by Tobey Maguire, frames the remembered Labor Day weekend involving his younger self.
Films like Labor Day, and why
A Perfect World
shared fugitive-and-family drama, restrained suspense, and emotionally complicated bond between an isolated parent and a dangerous outsider
The Place Beyond the Pines
shared intimate crime drama, melancholy atmosphere, and unexpected tenderness between a fugitive and a vulnerable family
The Bridges of Madison County
shared adult romance, emotional repression, and simmering domestic tension in a small-town setting
The Reader
shared romantic melodrama, outsider intimacy, and suspense created by social scrutiny and hidden histories
Movie Details
- Director
- Jason Reitman
- Release Date
- 2013-12-27
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (1394)
Cast
- Kate Winslet
- Josh Brolin
- Gattlin Griffith
- Tobey Maguire
- Tom Lipinski
- Maika Monroe
- Clark Gregg
- James Van Der Beek
- J.K. Simmons
- Brooke Smith
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Labor Day about?
- Over one tense holiday weekend, a depressed mother and her teenage son discover tenderness and danger when they shelter an injured escaped convict.
- What is Labor Day like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Labor Day as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Labor Day violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Labor Day as mild.
- What did critics think of Labor Day?
- Critics generally found Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin compelling and the film intermittently moving, but regarded its sentimental tone and implausible romance as difficult to overcome.
- Which films are like Labor Day?
- Films with a similar feel include A Perfect World, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Bridges of Madison County, and The Reader.
- How long is Labor Day?
- Labor Day runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Labor Day?
- In United States, Labor Day streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
