|
| • Advanced Search • Help |
Return To Me | Year: 2000 Classification: Romance Country: USA Language: English Directed: - Bonnie Hunt Actors/Actresses: - James Belushi - David Duchovny - Minnie Driver - David Alan Grier - Carroll O'Connor - Robert Loggia A Romantic Comedy With Heart To Spare This congenial romantic comedy really shouldn't work, but darned if it doesn't! Return to Me's plot, about a heart transplant (both surgical and sentimental), is a tad sappy, and in this case, that's good. The movie follows a widower (Duchovny), an architect in Chicago, as he falls in love with a waitress (Driver). Neither realizes until late in the proceedings what the audience has known from the beginning: The transplanted ticker thumping so loudly in Driver's chest every time the two embrace previously belonged to Duchovny's beloved wife (Joely Richardson), who died in a car crash a year earlier. Return has ample charms. The movie doesn't push, either with its pacing or its relationships. It takes its time letting both the major characters and their connections grow. It gives supporting characters plenty to do. And it celebrates the ordinary activities of everyday life among family and friends, including bowling, playing cards and yelling at the kids when they won't pipe down. Many of the movie's most endearing scenes take place at O'Reilly's Italian restaurant, where Driver works. The place is operated by her Irish grandfather (O'Connor) and his Italian brother-in-law (Robert Loggia), both of whom seem to be competing here to demonstrate who has the bigger twinkle in his eyes. Before Duchovny arrives on the scene, O'Connor even tries to set Driver up with a customer. "He's had a transplant too," O'Connor says reassuringly, "hair transplants." Credit for the movie's sweet, easygoing tone belongs to Bonnie Hunt, the comic actress who recently brightened The Green Mile as Tom Hanks's wife. She cowrote and directed Return and also shows up as Driver's tart-tongued best buddy. Duchovny, looser here than on TV's The X-Files, makes for a winning if somewhat comforting leading man, while Driver, wavering between raucous and tremulous, glows throughout. Great for a Quiet Night At Home¿ "Return to Me" is a sad but wonderful love story that follows the romance of widower Bob Rueland (David "Agent Fox Mulder" Duchovny) and Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver). THE STORY: Bob Rueland's life is turned upside down when he tragically and unexpectedly loses his zoologist wife in a traffic accident. Meanwhile, terminally ill Grace Brigg's life is forever changed when at the last minute she reveals the heart transplant that saves her life. Fast forward a year when Bob and Grace meet, not knowing that their lives are now forever entwined... THE COOL THINGS: Overall, like most love stories this movie unfolds very nicely. In addition to the powerful story about the very nature of this romance the movie also contains a "nice" comedic side courtesy of the members of Grace's extended Irish-Italian-American family as well as Bob's friends. In all, this is a perfectly safe and "family-friendly" movie with good, clean fun. THE DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: Though a little sparse on DVD features compared to current standards, the offerings here though are a "nice touch." 1.Feature length audio commentary by Director Bonnie Hunt and Co-Writer Don Lake: Always an interesting listen. 2.Music Video: "What If I Loved You" by Joey Gian. Nice 3.One Deleted Scene: Danny Boy. Nice and funny bit with Grace's uncles, grandparents, etc crooning out that old tune. THE VERDICT: Admitted, the story is sad but the story is done nicely and the ending ties up everything nicely. Overall, I'd say this is a perfect movie for a couple to curl up into on the couch for a nice evening viewing (be it bought or rented). Absolutely wonderful! And finally, nothing offensive! This film is the first romantic comedy in a LONG time that has been worth two hours of my time. It is absolutely fabulous, and is not filled with offensive language, sex-scenes, or adultery. I LOVED it, and I do not typically enjoy romantic comedies. Buy Return To Me at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Return To Me Search with the Priority Search Engine on Return To Me This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
|
