The Welcome to the Rileys Trailer: Kristen Stewart Meets Tony Soprano

When you hear the words "Kristen Stewart Hooker Movie," the mind reels with possibilities of scandal and exploitation. But then you see the new trailer for Welcome to the Rileys, a Sundance hit from director Jake Scott (a.k.a. Ridley Scott's son, thus fulfilling the "You Must Mention Ridley Scott Once Per Day" quota here at Movieline), and you realize it's anything but what you would expect. Even with the presence of Tony Soprano. Who's ready for some derivative family drama?

There are many reasons why Welcome to the Rileys shouldn't work. Let's start with the obvious: James Gandolfini's bizarre southern (midwestern?) accent. What is that? Right: He doesn't want to be Tony Soprano for the rest of his natural life, but can't he just sound like James Gandolfini and leave it at that? And that's to say nothing of the premise: Gandolfini and Melissa Leo play grieving parents who lost their teenage daughter in a car accident, causing predictable emotional strife -- he detaches, she becomes agoraphobic. But while on a business trip in New Orleans, the father meets Stewart's teen hooker-slash-runaway and finds inside her the daughter they lost. Cut to emotional scenes of acceptance and coming to terms. And make sure to bring some tissues.

It's as obvious as can be, yet the trailer works like gangbusters in hitting the emotional beats like a hammer. In fact, if you're left without a bit of mist in your eyes, then perhaps you're a robot. Or just less susceptible to mawkish manipulation than me.

VERDICT: Sold.

[via Yahoo! Movies]