Review of Welcome to the Rileys (2010) by Saturdayslump — 28 Oct 2010

I've had the opportunity to see this movie more than once and have found something new to love every time I've seen it. This is a slow film, driven by the characters that populate it. I was never a fan of The Sopranos, so I wasn't sure what to expect from James Gandolfini as Doug Riley, but he convinced me as the picture of a desperate, grieving father.

Melissa Leo's agoraphobic wife, Lois, is equally compelling, frozen in grief. If you're expecting the hooker/stripper with a heart of gold, you'll be disappointed with Kristen Stewart here. Her Mallory is pitiable, uncouth, ignorant, dirty (in more ways than one), self-loathing and just as equally desperate as Doug and Lois.

A foulmouthed teenager that respects only what her body can get her, Mallory is an unexpected catalyst that brings the couple back from abyss of their separate grief. It's a quiet, slow moving film accentuated by a wonderful score.