Welcome to the anonymous heart of suburban Indianapolis. On the surface it’s picket-fence perfection, but beneath the gloss of one American Dream, Doug (James Gandolfini) and Lois (Melissa Leo) Riley are on the verge of collapse after the death of their teenage daughter. That is, until Doug meets Mallory (Kristen Stewart) — a ‘coochie’-flashing teenage hooker — and sees a second chance to play dad. It feels familiar, but the strong, sensitive performances elevate Jake Scott’s (son of Ridley, nephew of Tony) feature above the standard clichéd schmaltz. Gandolfini is tragic and needy, Leo quiet and intense, while Stewart brings a grubby vulnerability to her usual sulky teen, with a few ass-flashes and F-bombs marking the beginning of the end of her Twilight years. Touching, promising, but ultimately unconvincing.
Welcome To The Rileys Review
When their teenager daughter dies in a car accident, Doug (Gandolfini) and Lois (Leo) are driven to the point of despair. But Doug's chance meeting with a young stripper (Stewart) while on business in New Orleans gives him an outlet for the grief that's consuming him.
Release Date:
18 Nov 2011
Running Time:
110 minutes
Certificate:
15
Original Title:
Welcome To The Rileys
Jake Scott proves that he's a chip off the old block with a skillful and tender tale of grief that sees him draw top-notch performances from his cast.
Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us