Welcome to the Rileys

"I can't come home right now. I know I'm not dead yet."

Welcome to the Rileys is certainly a flawed movie. The characters are a little flat, and don't seem to be written as genuine people, at times. The story scenario, with its focus on lost loved ones and damaged people finding healing or comfort in each other, is one that seems to be in every other movie, recently. And the ending seems a bit rushed and unfinished.

But still, I found myself enjoying it all.

The key lies in the color and atmosphere added by using New Orleans as the primary location, and the performances of the three primary cast members. 

The first point may appeal only to those who have visited or who live in the city. Filming a movie in New Orleans gives it an instant, appealing flavor to anyone who's been there before, walking past the same restaurants and down the same streets. Very cool. I'll admit that this might not be as big a deal to others as it was to me, though. 

What everyone should be able to recognize and appreciate, however, are the great performances by James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo, and Kristen Stewart. They carry this movie with some really excellent acting, even though their characters are slightly hobbled at times with some spotty writing. Especially when it comes to the dynamics of the various relationships. Still, the three of them (especially Gandolfini and Stewart) easily make Welcome to the Rileys worth at least a rental.

Poor Kristen Stewart hasn't had an easy ride in the popular press. First she's constantly linked with - the pretty one-dimensional - Bella Swann from the Twilight franchise and then she gets her love-life in a tangle and everyone takes R-Patz' side.

Somewhere, amid the mess of her personal life, she got round to making 'Welcome to the Riley's,' with Sopranos star James Gandolfini. Sadly, not enough people seemed to notice. It was an 'indie' film that never really got much of a mainstream release, therefore she remained 'Bella' in the press' eyes all the way through this.

However, if you can give her a chance, you may get more than an hour and a half of her holding her mouth open and refusing to smile. James Gandolfini gives a - naturally - great performance as a man who had lost his teenage daughter in a car accident. On a work trip he gives his colleagues the slip and takes refuge in a strip club where he meets Kristen Stewart, who he beings a - plutonic - relationship with, treating her like a surrogate daughter.

That's about it as far as the plot goes. At first (the beginning twenty minutes) I was pretty disinterested and was wondering what I got into. However, I was very pleased with how it transpired. It's actually quite a tender story of emotionally damaged people coming together.

It's certainly not a laugh a minute and is the sort of film that you have to be in quite a deep, reflective, thoughtful mood to really appreciate (or just want to see Kristen Stewart not surrounded by computer generated monsters).

Nice film. Give it a try.

Doug Riley is a plumbing supplies contractor from Indianapolis who lives with his wife Lois and reaching their 30th wedding anniversary. After they lost their 15 year old daughter in a tragic car accident the couple has grown distant with no exchange of intimate relationship and spoken barely few words a day. It seems like Doug and Lois both miss their lives inside yet don't know where to begin in finding it again. Meanwhile Doug finds comfort in a black waitress yet that relationship doesn't last long either even though it brings some kind of a peace in to Doug's life. Lost and torn this couple seems to be just living their days for nothing.

Doug goes to New Orleans for a convention and there he unexpectedly meets a 16 year old girl Mallory who is a stripper. Rather than taking advantage of her with her own consent Doug see someone else in her and starts to emotionally care for her. He somehow makes in an ambition to take this teenage girl out of her miserable life and give her some comfort and long lost fatherhood. But this task become difficult by the day as Mallory resist to change or to accept Doug's generosity even though she know his genuine motives.

'Welcome to the Riley's' is a heartfelt drama. Most of the moments are silent and filled with self perseverance but the script gradually builds up a solid story line. It's not boring even though it's a little slow which almost all dramas are. But there is something special about this one. This one is about self retribution. Don't know if it's totally correct to describe it that way but I feel like Doug is trying to find peace in his heart by dedicating his effort to make a something good for Mallory. The society is a wicked place to be good some times which the script proves over and over. The harsh words coming out of Mallory's mouth must have pierced Doug's heart one too many times. Yet he patiently set on his path which maybe his experience in life has tough him to do so.

Acting wise the movie is mention worthy. Doug played by James Gandolfini is a role skillfully done. And at the same time Melissa Leo effectively plays Lois the depressed, grieving mother who hasn't set foot out of the house for months. And finally the Twilight famed Kristen Stewart portraying the damaged and arrogant stripper girl make us forget her glamorous lead role in the romantic vampire franchise with her performance in 'Welcome to the Riley's'.

As a viewer you will be made to judge these characters. You will be asked to decide if what they do is right or wrong or if they did really succeeded in their roles at the end. Even thought it has no fairy tale ending this movie will live in your minds for a long time.

read more of my reviews at flickshout.blogspot.com

As a movie buff, I tend to gravitate toward the art & independent material but also due to my area's theater selections, see a fair amount of mainstream movies. Yes, I catch few good films but many times I find disappointment in both worlds. This time ended differently. I can't help but remark how impressed I was by the honest writing and acting of all three characters. Struck me as rather genuine, gritty and believable plot-wise. I also was unsure if I appreciated the decision to refrain from thoroughly fleshing-out every character. One has staggering levels in which they are left to guess about all three. Ie: What happened to Stewart's character other than her mom's accident and demise to lead her on such a disheartening path? Why not more information and insight as to chronicle the downward spiral of this marriage after the child's death? Why not dig into and explore the wife's inward turn to near-hermit? Why is the husband not only so disenchanted with home but also work, albeit this desperate & hopeless soul floundering about? Well, actually wise decision to leave this unknown; I see it's not all that critical to the success of the story. Writers today over-inform.

Another area I originally thought to be a caveat to success was ending as it did. I mean everyone likes and cheers for a happy ending. But pondering this further--really how realistic is this in life? Moreover (and I've worked with troubled and lost kids) this film plays out precisely how life goes. It's not simple to intervene and turn someone around late in the game. There is wisdom, perception and integrity in this attempt to depict a more genuine article of life and that was done. I think Stewart's work was exceptional and her remark that she's "no one's little girl" (something to that affect) captures it brilliantly. You see throughout her vulnerability, survival instinct, yet damaged nature without her acting being sentimental or "hollywood". Yes, nice little gem.

A very realistic film compared to similar character dramas: Welcome to the Rileys features excellent casting, writing and direction. Welcome to the Rileys is a movie about what love really is: not sex and emotion, but the absence of anger, having absolute patience and leading women in the right way to be.

For example: The protagonist is not written as a perfect man, but its clear the writer knows what a perfect man is, and, that it's achievable.

The cinematography felt very raw almost like a faux documentary. The film will appeal most to adults who appreciate nuance and subtlety.