WELCOME TO THE RILEYS is a little sign on the garage doors of Doug andLois Riley in Indianapolis, Indiana. It also serves as the title ofthis fine little film written by Ken Hixon and directed by Jake Scottthat examines how the loss of a 15-year-old daughter Emily in anautomobile accident has resulted in the crumbling of the parent'smarriage and relationship. Doug (James Gandolfini) has an affair withyounger waitress Vivian (Eisa Davis) while Lois (Melissa Leo) becomesso isolated in her agoraphobic state and psychotropic mediations thatshe is no longer available to Doug. A crisis occurs when Vivian dies incardiac arrest and in Doug's honest grief he visits her grave only tofind that Lois has unilaterally purchased a headstone with Doug's andLois' names on it beside the grave of their departed Emily, a fact thatenrages Doug.

Doug goes to New Orleans on a convention and there encountersstripper/prostitute Mallory (Kristen Stewart), a 16 year old unkempt,foul mouthed runaway from Florida: Mallory sees the kind Doug as a johnbut Doug's interest is in her plight, not her business offerings. Dougobviously responds to Mallory as though she were his lost daughter,moving into her filthy apartment, trying to improve her view of life.Doug phones Lois that he is going to stay in New Orleans a while, amessage that gives Lois the courage to actually leave her home anddrive to New Orleans: during Lois' somewhat comedic trip she stops forfood and a strange man comes on to her - something that awakens herself esteem before she reaches New Orleans. Once Lois arrives at herdestination she is proud of overcoming her agoraphobia and Doug ishappy to see the healing Lois. Together they stay with Mallory, facingthe fact that for both of them Mallory represents the chance to restoretheir love for the daughter they've lost. How the three cope is theremaining of the film.

The three leads offer polished performances - some of the finest workwe have seen from both Gandolfini and Leo who together make this filmbetter than the sum of its parts. Kristen Stewart immerses herself inMallory and though she still remains a rather monochromatic actress,this role offers her the ability to stretch her acting chops: she isconvincing as the victim of the dregs of society and makes us careabout a character who seems to have few redeeming qualities. This trioof actors plays well as a small ensemble and the result is a film thathas been far too overlooked by the general public. Recommended.

Grady Harp

Everybody keeps referring back to Twilight and Kristen Stewart, it isgood to see something different from her. These are the roles she likesto play, smaller films and not worrying about a 25 million dollarpaycheck... Just because she isn't a stuck up Hollywood bitch doesn'tmean she cant act.. I think she is one of the smarter ones, she doeswhat she wants and is good at it, she doesn't try to please otherpeople...This kind of attitude is what Hollywood needs and I think weare only seeing the beginning of what is going to be a wonderful careerfor a really cool girl...I hope she stays on track worth her career andwith her relationship with Robert Pattinson, they work so welltogether.

When watching the movie I had the feeling the groundbreaking climax isa short seconds away. Well, guess what, it never came. I really likedthe main characters but it seemed they showed only 40% of the emotionsthey had to. Given all the trauma they have been through, I newer sawpain or bitterness or even joy.

Stewart's wasn't very believable as a prostitute. Playing a junkiewould have been much more suitable for her performance. Mellisa Leo'scameo lacked the necessary emotional radiance. Imagine staying insideyour house for almost a decade and the moment your husband calls, youtake a 900 miles trip to see him. No emotions, no dwelling, no doubt.Exactly the opposite- rational behavior. Gandolfini cant really do manymistakes with the role. He is the most believable character but stillfails to make a point.

I don't understand how this film received such a high rating. It couldhave been a great movie but without the slow action and bits ofinformation with which we have to deal.