The film Labor Day, adapted from the novel by Joyce Maynard and directed by Jason Reitman, is a tragic romance that is centered around a single divorcee mother, her pre-teen son, and an escaped convict.

As the movie progresses, the audience learns that Frank, played by Josh Brolin, has escaped from the prison hospital window and made his way to a grocery store where he encounters Adele (Kate Winslet) and her son Henry (Gattlin Griffith.) Frank is then able to “convince” Adele to drive him back to her home and ultimately takes Adele and Henry hostage in their own house.

At this point, Frank ties Adele and Henry to kitchen chairs and oddly makes them dinner. As he feeds Adele, you see an awkward but meaningful connection spark between the two. Throughout the rest of the film they become a bit like a family; Adele teaches Frank how to rumba and Frank teaches Henry and Adele how to bake the best peach pie.

Towards the end, Frank and Adele decide that the best idea is to run away with Henry to Canada where Frank wouldn’t have to hide from the police. The three pack up their belongings and clean the house. Despite Henry’s common sense, he writes to his biological father telling him that he and his mother are leaving and that he will be alright. As Henry is walking back home from delivering the letter, a cop pulls beside him and offers him a ride home. Upon seeing the car full of their belongings, the officer begins to question Henry and Adele while Frank hides inside the house.

After Henry was finally able to convince the police officer that nothing was out of the ordinary and they were just doing some “spring cleaning,” he tells Frank and his mother about the letter that he had delivered to his father. At this moment, police sirens become audible and Adele breaks down, knowing that Frank was going to be arrested again.

To help Adele and Henry, Frank ties the two up again so it looks as if they were not harboring an escaped convict but rather being held there against their wills.

Frank’s sentence was then increased greatly and Adele continuously wrote him letters that he never returned. After a few months, all of her letters were returned with a note attached stating that Frank had been transferred.

Many years later, Henry opens a pie shop and Frank is released. He and Adele reunite and instantly fall in love all over again.

This movie was well directed and the characters were portrayed beautifully. It was an unexpected plot and I deem it as a must-see film.