Rating: 15
Director: Jake Scott
Screenplay: Ken Hixon
Genre: Drama
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo, James Gandolfini
It is Stewart’s electrifying performance as the deeply
damaged and foul-mouthed prostitute Mallory/Allison that drives this prolonged independent
drama to the very end. Though lengthy and quiet in some parts, Welcome To The
Riley’s is a terrifically compelling story that ticks all the boxes in becoming
a unique and charming independent drama. The film gained much critical acclaim
after its Sundance Festival buzz; and there was a special recognition for
Kristen Stewart – the ‘Twilight girl’ – and her dynamic portrayal of the
teenage sex runaway whose life lacks fundamentality such as being able to make
a bed or clean a toilet. After her Mother died in a car crash when she was a
child, Mallory has lost all sense of moral and ethics and can’t make it through
the day without smoking a joint or – as frequently put – “f*cking” a customer.
Gandolfini is gruff and captivating as middle-aged Doug Riley – a man stuck in an empty marriage with Lois (Melissa Leo) following the death of their teenage daughter. On a work trip to New Orleans, seeing similarities in troubled Mallory to those of his own daughter, he decides to help Mallory in the best way he can. The two form a bond that is unlikely, earnest and fun, with a memorable back-and-forth humour well-played by Stewart and Gandolfini, as the two characters seek refuge in each other’s loneliness.
Leo is dynamite as hermit Lois as she makes a miraculously brave move in going out to get her husband, leaving the house for the first time in several years. When reunited, Gandolfini and Leo present a relationship that is profound and worthy of your tears as they realise what the grief has done to their marriage. The couple stand as the parent type figures for the orphaned teen and Stewart’s Mallory is enchanting; giving the perfect balance of tough and hopeless as she repels their help, claiming “It’s too late for that sh*t.”
As a trio, the range of styles and personalities these actors present merge to make a film that is all at once hilarious, haunting and touching. The hazy cinematography blends Welcome To The Riley’s in with all the other American independents, and its scarce script offers us a silence that is thoughtful to some; frustrating to others. It is a shame that its minor mistakes are the ones that make it slightly fade into the background, as Welcome To The Riley’s is a truly poignant and sincere film that deserves to shine.
Gandolfini is gruff and captivating as middle-aged Doug Riley – a man stuck in an empty marriage with Lois (Melissa Leo) following the death of their teenage daughter. On a work trip to New Orleans, seeing similarities in troubled Mallory to those of his own daughter, he decides to help Mallory in the best way he can. The two form a bond that is unlikely, earnest and fun, with a memorable back-and-forth humour well-played by Stewart and Gandolfini, as the two characters seek refuge in each other’s loneliness.
Leo is dynamite as hermit Lois as she makes a miraculously brave move in going out to get her husband, leaving the house for the first time in several years. When reunited, Gandolfini and Leo present a relationship that is profound and worthy of your tears as they realise what the grief has done to their marriage. The couple stand as the parent type figures for the orphaned teen and Stewart’s Mallory is enchanting; giving the perfect balance of tough and hopeless as she repels their help, claiming “It’s too late for that sh*t.”
As a trio, the range of styles and personalities these actors present merge to make a film that is all at once hilarious, haunting and touching. The hazy cinematography blends Welcome To The Riley’s in with all the other American independents, and its scarce script offers us a silence that is thoughtful to some; frustrating to others. It is a shame that its minor mistakes are the ones that make it slightly fade into the background, as Welcome To The Riley’s is a truly poignant and sincere film that deserves to shine.
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