I'll tell you why so serious

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The story line has been done many times before but James Gandolfini always brings more to the table than most other actors can and this is no exception. It does not take the audience long to realize that Doug Riley (played by James Gandolfini) and his wife Lois Riley (played by Melissa Leo) have been grieving for a few years over the loss of their daughters life.Doug seems to be a lost soul and a shell of the man he once was before his daughter died. Lois is struggling with her depression and coping with pills and hiding in her home 24 hours a day. Doug is on his way to New Orleans for a business convention when he innocently runs in to a teenage stripper/prostitute named Molly/Allison (played by Kristen Stewart).Doug takes it upon himself to stick around New Orleans after the convention comes to a close and see if he can help Molly realize that her way of life can be changed. Doug is not looking for anything in return, only redemption for losing his daughter. Once Doug's wife gets the phone call from Doug that he is staying in New Orleans for awhile she is determined to break her self imposed entrapment and so Lois begins her long journey from her confined home in Indianapolis to New Orleans to meet Doug and the person who appears to be keeping Doug in New Orleans.The three main characters do meet and there is no end of drama with young Molly still trying to make a living as a stripper/prostitute and living in a run down row house owned by a perverted landlord. Eventually Doug and Lois realize that they are at a crossroad with Molly and that they have to let go of their own ideals for Molly and accept the fact that Molly/Allison needs to come to her own life decisions.Doug eventually gets that dreaded phone call from Molly a few weeks later and as I don't like to give away the ending I can say that Doug did have some level of influence on Molly and she thanks Doug for his and Lois's love and support. If there were more men and women like the Rileys, the world would in fact be a much more caring and loving place to live and grow.Gandolfini's screen appearances are limited due to his untimely and premature death in 2013 by a heart attack. He commands the big screen and so this is a picture worth seeing if for nothing other than to see a man in turmoil cope with his grief for his daughter by how he goes about helping others. I rate the film a strong 6 out of 10.

Doug Riley (James Gandolfini) is in a desolate marriage with his wife Lois (Melissa Leo). They have been that way since their 15 year old daughter Emily was killed in a car accident. Doug goes on a business trip to New Orleans and he befriends stripper Allison (Kristen Stewart). He tries to be a father figure to her.I have difficulty determining whether it's gritty and realistic or horribly tripe and contrived. I'm leaning toward contrived but I am still willing to like it. All three leads do good acting. Kristen Steward is her usual angry rebellious self. Of course she's tough but yet vulnerable. Gandolfini is a little bit less emoting. He's playing a kind of father-knows-best character. Melissa Leo absolutely hits it out of the park. She's barely holding it together at times. Then she shifts effortlessly into mother hen mode. She is the jewel of the movie.

Welcome To The Rileys premiered at Sundance in early 2010 and received a worthy amount of recognition. The film also received a little bit of notice from the press because of its young star, Kristen Stewart from the Twilight franchise but believe me, this isn't a fantasy or love story. What I loved about this film from the very beginning is that there was something unsettling about it, when you first hear the piano theme that runs throughout the film, it immediately made an impression on me. Also, the first shot of Doug (played by James Gandolfini) smoking a cigarette, it's a very tight close up that for reasons which I can't put into words, made me feel like I was in for a different experience. The style of the film through my eyes sort of feels like a dark horror film or maybe a film noir.Of course, I was surprised by this because I knew what the story was about but I was still surprised and stunned at how gritty this film is. The story sort of sounds like something that we have seen a lot in movies from the past but it's handled in a way that is completely different and it even stands out on its own. I won't give away character or story details but on the surface, this may seem like a predictable movie but watch the characters more and see how they think or feel, it's truly impressive.I will comment on the performances before I end this review, James Gandolfini gives a very mature adult performance that amazed me. I actually have never seen much of his other work but I'm curious to see more of his acting credits. Melissa Leo is heartfelt and sensitive, I really connected with it. She really plays the mother role to perfection. Lastly, there is Kristen Stewart who I am a big defender of. Some accuse her of being flat and emotionless in her films but the more I watch her work, I see that what makes her work stand out is that she is real. Never overacting or trying to play the heavily emotional scenes that someone like Meryl Streep would. That's what I like about her, it's like your viewing a real person in life. All of the actors in the film do this very well and to see them work together is something special.Either you will be amazed or disappointed with it and while the story is simple and the film does have a lot of heart and compassion, you feel a sense of gloom, melancholy or dread when you watch it. If you enjoy films like Badlands, Ghost World or Fargo then I highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic movie! Kristen Stewart and James did an amazing job and this movie made me really think about the effect you can have on someone's life. James and Kristen had a really good connection and i feel like the director showed very well the reality of how some people live and the things they will do to live. I continue to think about this movie even after months of watching it...which I love. This movie was very well put together and all the actors did great. I now really want to go and visit New Orleans. I encourage everyone to see this movie. It is one of the best movies I have ever seen and one I will never forget! It has a little bit of everything,an all around great movie.