Welcome To The Rileys: Challenging and Provocative (Review)

“Welcome To The Rileys,” is a stirring drama about three people’s journey through tragedy to a life filled with opportunity and optimism. Starring James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo, the film tracks the life of married couple Doug (Gandolfini) and Lois Riley (Leo) as the struggle to overcome eight years of grief over the death of their teenage daughter in a freak car accident. Lois thinks she caused the accident by being too overbearing a mother, and Doug does not disabuse her of that line of thinking. The two battle major depression and live like emotionally dead zombies until they meet the 17-year old stripper named Mallory (Stewart).

While at a business convention in New Orleans, Doug wanders into a strip joint ahead of his colleagues and encounters Mallory, who propositions him like she’s been working the streets for over 10 years, which is possible given her life story. Because Mallory reminds Doug of his deceased daughter in age and appearances only, he tries to take her under his wing and provide her with the parenting she clearly never had. Their relationship causes strain in Doug’s marriage, but forces Lois out of the catatonia she’d found herself in.

The Riley’s experience with Mallory reinvigorates their relationship and puts both them and Mallory on a new path for living.

Scripted by Ken Hixon (“City by the Sea” and “Inventing the Abbotts”),“Welcome To The Rileys” skillfully navigates the dark underside of post-Katrina New Orleans and the child sex-trade, delicately peppering the film with humor as it ultimately drives the film’s theme home.



Read full review here