Welcome to the Rileys

If you fancy seeing Kristen Stewart play something non-sparkly and fang-obsessed this month then Welcome to the Rileys could be just the thing. Hair-tugging and lip-biting are still her key modes of expression but I have to say, in this indie-drama it definitely works. Directed by Jake Scott (son of Ridely) the film tells the tale of Doug and Lois Riley as they struggle to hold their marriage together following the death of their teenage daughter some years prior. The pair are at breaking point when Doug heads off to New Orleans on a business trip, his head full of anger and grief, his eyes full of tears.

Here he meets Mallory, a self-destructive 16 year old who’s run away from home and pays for her meals by turning tricks. Misguided sexual advances and stroppy arguments ensue until an unlikely friendship is formed between the loud-mouthed teen and the melancholy middle-ager.

The film garnered considerable buzz at Sundance and although the performances are good, (Gandolfini is particularly fine as the immediately lovable and heartbroken Doug), it seems that buzz has now slowed to a gentle hum or murmur. And rightly so.

It’s not that Scott’s sophomore foray into features lacks depth, many scenes convey emotions subtly with a lingering camera and a scarcity of dialogue, but something about this story is tired; we’ve seen too many grieving parents in our multiplexes of late. Thankfully, despite indulging in many clichés along the way, Scott avoids a Disney happily-ever-after that would truly allow me to place this film in a box labelled ‘Cheesy’. Instead it eludes my cinematic filing system, the understated direction paired with fantastic acting (the couple’s dynamic alone is enough to merit a cinema trip) make for engaging slow-paced viewing, but the film lacks plausibility and ultimately never over comes its hackneyed save-the-stripper premise. 

Out Nov 18th