Return to Me
| Return to Me | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Bonnie Hunt |
| Screenplay by | Bonnie Hunt Don Lake |
| Story by | Bonnie Hunt Don Lake Andrew Stern Samantha Goodman |
| Produced by | Jennie Lew Tugend |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | MGM Distribution Co. (United States) (International)United International Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $24 million |
| Box office | $36 million |
Return to Me is a 2000 American
Plot
Bob and Elizabeth Rueland live and work in Chicago — Bob as an architect, Elizabeth as a zoologist at Lincoln Park Zoo.
On the night of her fundraiser for a new primate house, Bob promises Elizabeth he'll finish the building. She is killed in a car accident leaving the fundraiser, and her
The surgery is successful; Grace is able to live a normal life for the first time and plans to make her first airplane trip to Italy to paint. Grace's best friend Megan Dayton, encourages her to start dating in spite of her self-consciousness about the long surgical scar on her chest.
Grace writes a letter to the donor's family after the surgery, thanking them for the heart she received; it takes her over a year to finally find the courage to mail the letter. Bob works to build the primate house Elizabeth raised money for; he is still depressed a year after her death. He recognizes that he must resume his life as he becomes frustrated seeing that his dog hasn't gotten over the loss either.
Bob's friend, veterinarian Charlie, organizes a blind date for him at O'Reilly's, a self-styled Irish-Italian restaurant. The date goes very badly, as his date is very obnoxious, petty and self-absorbed. However, Bob finds that he is drawn to the waitress — Grace, who is also the granddaughter of the restaurant's owner, Marty O'Reilly.
Although they are both unaware of the connection they have through Elizabeth's heart, Bob and Grace begin to date. As they grow closer together, she is reluctant to tell him about her medical history. After several months of dating, Grace finally decides to tell Bob about her transplant. However, before she gets the chance, she finds in his house the letter she had sent several months earlier.
Horrified by the discovery, Grace flees and tells Megan what has happened. Megan's husband Joe becomes infuriated as he has misunderstood Grace's panic and thinks Bob must be married. Megan then explains the situation to him in six monosyllables: "Grace has Bob's dead wife's heart!" When Grace meets Bob again, she tells him the truth. Speechless, he leaves.
Against Megan's advice to not run away from the situation, Grace goes to Italy alone. Back at home, Bob realizes that although he will always miss Elizabeth, he "aches" for Grace. He decides to go after her, and they reunite in Italy. They return to Chicago for the dedication of the new primate house.
As the film ends, we see Wally and Sophie dancing happily at their wedding reception at O'Reilly's restaurant. Charlie and a woman are dancing as they hold a toddler. Joe is dancing with a visibly pregnant Megan, while they join Grace and Bob on the dance floor.
Cast
- David Duchovny as Bob Rueland
- Minnie Driver as Grace Briggs
- Carroll O'Connor as Marty O'Reilly
- Robert Loggia as Angelo Pardipillo
- Bonnie Hunt as Megan Dayton
- David Alan Grier as Charlie Johnson
- Joely Richardson as Elizabeth Rueland
- Eddie Jones as Emmett McFadden
- James Belushi as Joe Dayton
- William Bronder as Wally Jatczak
- Marianne Muellerleile as Sophie
- Dick Cusack as Mr. Bennington
- Joseph Gian as Singer
- Tom Virtue as Dr. Sederak
- Brian Howe as Mike
- David Pasquesi as Tony
- Don Lake as Transplant Man
- Peetey as Mel
Reception
The film received generally mixed reviews. Based on 100 reviews, it has a score of 62% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus reading "David Duchovny and Minnie Driver provide heart-warming romance and comedy in this solid debut by director Bonnie Hunt." Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle stated, "Old-fashioned as all get-out, Return to Me is swathed in an unabashed feel-good tone."[1] Roger Ebert called it "so innocent, so naive, so sweet and sincere, that you must leave your cynicism at the door or choose another movie."[2] Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum gave it a C+ grade, and stated "the alluringly deadpan Duchovny can make no headway with Driver."[3] Jay Carr of The Boston Globe called it "ultimately too bland and safe."[4]
The film opened at fourth place at the North American box office making US$7.8 million in its opening weekend, behind The Road to El Dorado, Erin Brockovich and Rules of Engagement, which opened at the top spot.[5] It would make a total of $32,662,299 in its entire box office run.[6]
See also
- Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa, a 2004 Bollywood movie with a very similar storyline.
- Summer Scent, a 2003 Korean drama with a very similar storyline
References
- ^ "Return to Me". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (7 April 2000). "Return To Me". www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (7 April 2000). "Return to Me". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Return to Me - Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "The Top Movies, Weekend of April 7, 2000". The Numbers. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- ^ "Return to Me". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
External links
- Return to Me at IMDb
- Return to Me at AllMovie
- Return to Me at the TCM Movie Database
- Return to Me at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Return to Me at Box Office Mojo
- Return to Me at Rotten Tomatoes
