Labor Day

Adele Wheeler and her 13-year-old son Henry meet a man during shopping who convinces them to take him home to look after him. They soon learn the man is Frank Chambers, an escaped convict wanted by the police. They decide to shelter him, creating a fragile new chapter in their lives.

Through flashbacks, Frank's past is revealed: he is a Vietnam War veteran who married his pregnant girlfriend Mandy. A violent fight leads to Mandy's death and the suggestion that their baby drowned. He is imprisoned for murder.

Adele confides in Frank that she endured several miscarriages after Henry's birth and suffered a later full-term stillbirth. The losses have left her anxious and depressed. Frank's presence begins to alter the mood in the house.

Frank repairs the house and handles chores, helping to make Adele feel cared for. He teaches Henry practical skills like car repair and baseball, while Adele and Henry learn to bake peach pie together. Their domestic companionship deepens into affection.

Adele and Frank fall in love and start planning to escape to Canada with Henry. The plan gives them hope for a fresh start, but it also tests the fragile balance they have with Henry. They prepare to leave their old life behind.

Henry befriends Eleanor, an intelligent, rebellious girl who hints that a dangerous man might be living in his home. This stirs fear that Adele and Frank will abandon him. Adele reassures him that she would never leave.

On the morning they plan to depart, Henry leaves a note in his father's mailbox. A policeman offers to drive him home, notices the nearly packed car, and then leaves without intervening. The sense of an impending separation grows.

Adele goes to the bank to withdraw all her money, drawing attention from the staff. While she is away, neighbor Evelyn comes by and sees Frank, who claims to be a handyman. Evelyn remains wary of him.

Henry's father discovers the note and calls the house as police approach. Frank ties Henry and Adele up to prevent charges and then kisses Adele before surrendering. Adele wants to help him, but the prosecutor warns that Henry could be taken away.

Henry moves back in with his father during his senior year, and his father explains that he left years earlier because Adele's grief overwhelmed him. He admits he sought happiness elsewhere. The revelation marks a turning point for their relationship.

Years later, Henry becomes the owner of a successful pie shop and is featured in a magazine. Frank, seeing Henry in the magazine, writes to him from prison and mentions his impending release, asking whether Henry should reconnect with his mother.

Frank is released and returns to Adele. They embrace and walk arm in arm down a country dirt road, symbolizing their renewed bond. Henry takes solace in knowing his mother will not be alone anymore.