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| STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED |
| Unmissable |
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| Excellent |
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| Good |
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| Poor |
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| Tragic |
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| FILM DETAILS | Certificate
15 | | Cast
James Gandolfini
Kristen Stewart
Melissa Leo. | | Directors
Jake Scott. | | Screenwriters
Ken Hixon. | | Running Time
110 minutes |
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Welcome To The Rileys
Dawn breaks for Kristen Stewart
Plot
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. Review
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.
Verdict
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.
Reviewed by Kat Halstead
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