Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin have committed to star as a lost, lonesome mother and an escaped convicted murderer who takes refuge with her and her young son in Jason Reitman’s adaptation of Labor Day, EW has learned.
The drama, which is part love story, part coming-of-age tale, and part thriller, has been adapted from the 2009 novel by Joyce Maynard by Reitman. The movie will shoot in 2012 in New England.
The same year Maynard’s novel was released, the Thank You For Smoking and Juno director earned Oscar nominations for directing, producing and adapting the screenplay for Best Picture contender Up In The Air. The year before, Winslet earned a Best Actress Oscar for The Reader (after five previous nominations) while Brolin was a Best Supporting Actor contender for Milk.
This is the first time the trio is working together. Set in the early ’80s over the late summer holiday weekend, Labor Day opens with divorced, depressed single mom Adele clothes shopping with her 13-year-old son, Henry. They encounter a large, fearsome man — who also happens to be bleeding badly. He asks for a ride, and against all judgment, they give him one.
Are they hostages, accomplices… or just deluded? As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true story and their options become more and more limited.
Reitman will produce the movie with partner Helen Estabrook of Right of Way films, along with Russ Smith and Lianne Halfon of Mr. Mudd productions. Steven Rales and Mark Roybal are executive producing through Indian Paintbrush.
Both actors are repped through CAA.
Source: Inside Movies | EW.com
