Much of the talk ahead of the Telluride Film Festival earlier this year focused on Jason Reitman's drama Labor Day, starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet as a struggling mother and her son who accidently brings an escaped prisoner into their lives.

Kate Winslet Josh Brolin Labor DayJosh Brolin [L] and Kate Winslet [R] in Jason Reitman's 'Labor Day'

In his review of the movie, Gregory Ellwood of HitFix.com wrote, "Reitman is assisted by another strong performance by Winslet who once again proves she might be the second best living actress on the planet after Meryl Streep (and she is likely the film's strongest awards player)."

Around 12 months ago, Labor Day was being tipped for awards' glory. It had everything it needed. Winslet, one of the world's greatest actresses, Josh Brolin, one of the strongest actors around and Reitman - a director whose last four directorial credits read Juno, Thank You For Smoking, Up In The Air and Young Adult.

In his review at Telluride, Peter Debruge of Variety said: "The mid-'80s period aspects - beautifully rendered by d.p. Eric Steelberg in sun-dappled shots that seem to be elegantly tracking in, out, left and right at all times - are so ripe with nostalgia, "Labor Day" also calls to mind J.J. Abrams' "Super 8," only the characters aren't junior filmmakers but budding pie-bakers, and rather than aliens, they have a hostage crisis to contend with."

Watch the 'Labor Day' trailer:

Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard, Reitman's Labor Day hits theaters on January 31, 2013, though a limited release on Christmas Day will ensure it's eligible for the major prizes come awards season.  

The latest trailer hints that while Labor Day might be no match for the likes 12 Years a Slave, Captain Phillips and Gravity in the major awards ceremonies, it will certainly pull at the old heartstrings and could score acting nominations with the likes of British movie Philomena.