Kristen Stewart has proven to us that she can play roles other than Bella. It would have been a shame if she got typecast because she is such an amazing actress. However, in this new movie, Welcome to the Rileys, we are going to be seeing the darkest she has ever gone...and we cannot wait!
Welcome to the Rileys is an independent drama film directed by Jake Scott, written by Ken Hixon and stars Kristen Stewart, James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo. The film begins with Doug (James Gandolfini), and his wife Emily (Melissa Leo) losing their only child, their daughter. Emily is unable to shed the guilt and locks herself up in their house, refusing to leave for years. At the same time, Doug is grieving himself and understandably the two begin to feel a large tear in their marriage.
Doug ends up going to New Orleans for a business trip and goes out to a strip club one night. Here, he meets Mallory (Kristen Stewart) who offers him a private dance. Doug instantly feels a paternal connection to this 16-year-old girl throwing her life away to prostitution and stripping. She reminds him of his daughter who passed away.
The movie then takes off when we see a relationship (non-sexual) begin to be built between the two. Doug decides that he is going to make it is personal plight to turn Mallory's life around. Due to Doug's long absence, Emily begins to understand that she may be losing her husband. So, for the first time in years, she collects herself and ventures down to New Orleans to find her husband.
At first she jumped to the obvious conclusion when she met Mallory. However, as the movie progresses, the three of the begin to form a unconventional bond and each one of them start to deal with their separate life demons together.
So far, the reviews have been smashing. Roger Ebert goes as far to say "One of the buzz champs of Sundance 2010. Gandolfini demonstrates that although he may not be conventionally handsome, when he smiles his face bathes you in the urge to like him. Kristen Stewart here is tougher even than her punk rocker in The Runaways. Who knew she had notes? I''m discovering an important new actress
