bobcatukbb
Movie hits it on all levels! Well produced and directed, great acting. Great story line (totally hits close to home in my life as I lost my wife of 32 years and God brought a new love into my life miraculously). Hits all the emotions, but actually very uplifting and hilarious.
SimonJack
"Return to Me" is a fine example of quality films that Hollywood can still produce for the whole family. The cast is excellent and includes top old-time actors, stars from intermediate years and newer actors. Carroll O'Connor and Robert Loggia head a quartet of old-time buddies that close O'Reilly's Italian Restaurant each night. O'Connor is Marty O'Reilly, the owner. Loggia is his friend and famous Italian chef, Angelo Pardipillo. James Belushi and Bonnie Hunt are Joe and Megan Dayton. They are family friends of Grace Briggs, played by Minnie Driver. Grace is Marty's granddaughter. She has an inherited heart problem. Across town (Chicago), David Duchovny is a builder, Bob Rueland. He's married to Dr. Elizabeth Rueland, a zoologist at the city zoo. David Grier is Charlie Johnson, a veterinarian at the zoo. He heads a list of friends of Elizabeth and Bob. That sets the stage for the movie. The opening scenes lay this much out, with more depth. Then the drama begins. This is a tender look at family and friends. It includes deep sorrow at loss of a beloved spouse at a young age. It includes the hope of a miracle for a young life that was born with a genetic disability. It is a film about friends and deep, lasting friendships. It is about loss of parents early in life. It is about a strong, loving relationship between a young woman and her grandfather. It is a film about strong faith and belief in God. It is a story about loss and recovery, illness and healing. It is film about joy, happiness and fun, and love of life. The whole family should enjoy this uplifting look at life, family, friendship and faith.
wes-connors
On a rainy night, Chicago architect David Duchovny (as Bob Rueland) loses his beloved wife to a car accident. Meanwhile, bedridden artist Minnie Driver (as Grace Briggs) hovers near death, desperately needing a heart transplant. As you might imagine, Ms. Driver receives the heart belonging to Mr. Duchovny's dying wife. After a period of mourning, veterinarian pal David Alan Grier (as Charlie Johnson) tries to get Mr. Duchovny to date shallow, mouthy women. While on a funny double date (thanks to Holly Wortell), Duchovny meets Driver. The two have an instant, magical attraction...Driver is a waitress at the Italian bar/restaurant run by Irish grandfather Carroll O'Connor (as Marty O'Reilly) and Italian brother-in-law Robert Loggia (as Angelo Pardipillo). With elderly pals Eddie Jones and Wally Jatczak, they discuss how singers Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra differed in beating others; the former took a more "hands on" approach. This was notably the last appearance for Mr. O'Connor, best known for his long-running TV role as lovable bigot "Archie Bunker". Writer/director Bonnie Hunt (as Megan) and loud-mouthed James Belushi (as Joe Dayton) provide additional support.This is what they call a "chick flick", with Ms. Hunt and "The X-Files" star Duchovny offering distaff viewers a dreamy leading man; he's handsome, well-built, romantic, masculine, sensitive, straight and sexy......and his hair is Perfect.***** Return to Me (4/7/00) Bonnie Hunt ~ David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carroll O' Connor, Bonnie Hunt
fechtenberger
This is about as perfect a romantic comedy as one could ever hope to see. It's the kind of romantic film that Hollywood has simply forgotten how to make. Thank heavens Bonnie Hunt still remembers how. Her gift for storytelling shines brightly in her big screen directorial debut, which she co-wrote with her long-time collaborator, Don Lake. Splendid cast, wonderful story, and genuine performances. In the hands of a lesser director this could have gone into treacly territory. But Miss Hunt has hit all the right buttons, using the experience she gained from Second City and producing and directing her own TV shows, and her own innate sense of what works and what doesn't, to craft a tale worth watching again and again. For a first-time movie director, Bonnie Hunt, you did better than good.
AD
