Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Return to Me Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 30, 2015

There’s never been any doubt that Bonnie Hunt is one of the funniest performers around. Her whip-crack wit, inherent geniality, and natural flair for improvisation have always made her a welcome addition to any movie or television show, even when trapped in limited supporting roles. For “Return to Me,” Hunt graduates to the director’s chair (also co-scripting with gifted performer Don Lake), helming a crushingly sweet and genuine tale of coincidence, magic, and love, but also managing to keep the laugh count high. Cynics aren’t allowed past these gates, as Hunt shoots straight from the heart, working diligently to keep the picture as approachable and lived-in as possible, effortlessly translating her skills with timing and authenticity to the screen with this outstanding charmer.

Happily married, architect Bob (David Duchovny) watches with pride as zoologist wife Elizabeth (Joely Richardson) begins to fulfill her dream of a proper gorilla habitat at the local zoo. On the other side of town, Grace (Minnie Driver) is gravely ill, in need of a heart transplant to live, worrying her best friend Megan (Bonnie Hunt) and beloved grandfather, Marty (Carroll O’Connor), who runs an Italian/Irish restaurant with Angelo (Robert Loggia). When Elizabeth is killed in a car accident, her heart is donated to Grace, who recovers and begins to rebuild her life, dreaming of a trip to Rome to work on her love of painting. A year later, Bob runs into Grace at the restaurant, feeling an immediate connection to the spirited woman, who’s been having her own troubles with dating. Taking a chance on life, hoping to move past his grief, Bob sets out to romance Grace, with the pair sparking to each other in an unusual way, unable to pinpoint their special connection.

“Return to Me” threatens to smother viewers with a case of the cutes. It’s a fairy tale in many ways, playing up an impossible link between Grace and Bob, but Hunt never emphasizes the universe’s strange ways, preferring to spread a little pixie dust and carry on with her characters, who perform the miracle of connection with the proper amount of disbelief. Instead of dwelling on the gimmick, Hunt labors to build a community of supporting characters to act as a conscience for the main characters, with Bob urged back into the dating scene by veterinarian pal Charlie (David Alan Grier), while Grace has a wealth of personalities keeping her company, including Megan and her beefy husband Joe (James Belushi, having fun trading lines with Hunt), and her grandfather Marty, who participates in a nightly poker game and ethnic singer debate with Angelo, waitress Sophie (Marianne Muellerleile), and pals Wally (William Bronder) and Emmett (Eddie Jones). The ensemble is superb, graceful with comedy and concern, maintaining an inviting atmosphere that keeps Hunt grounded. Restaurant shenanigans alone are cause for concern, sure to trigger headaches, but the braiding of old world passions makes it playful and endearing, aiming to create a system of support for Grace, not revel in tedious stereotype.

Hunt also deserves credit for bringing out a different side to Duchovny, who’s asked to give up his wooby of irony and detachment to play a confident man knocked flat by grief. I’ll admit, it’s strange to see Duchovny cry, yet this vulnerability is exactly what’s needed to bring “Return to Me” to life, creating a credible union of excited feelings between Grace and Bob before the hammer of reality is lowered. He’s terrific here, matched well by Driver, who communicates Grace’s self-consciousness about her surgery scar with some degree of subtlety, keeping the character busy with a list of concerns as love enters her life in a most unexpected manner. Romantic business is carried along with montages, warm banter, and the comfort of crooners, but Hunt doesn’t go overboard, making sure her audience is comfortable with the oddity of the situation and the magnetic pull between the participants.

Subplots don’t follow normal trajectories, following Bob on his mission to celebrate Elizabeth’s work with the construction of a gorilla habitat, driven to make the place as expansive and beautiful as possible. Grace struggles with the mailing of a sympathy letter to her mystery donor, unsure if she can bear such communication. However, plot isn’t king in “Return to Me,” which is more at ease creating surprising moments of communication and concern, while comedy emerges from fiery opinion and the madness of Megan and Joe’s life with four kids. Hunt goes for a hearty working class vibe, blended with a little Catholic energy, and while she’s aces with jokes, she’s better with softness, creating a powerful sequence early in the film that details the loss of Elizabeth and the rebirth of Grace. Emotion is vital to “Return to Me,” and there isn’t a false step when it comes to appreciating these characters and their delicate situation. Artificiality isn’t a concern with this comfy sweater of a movie.

Return to Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Without a fresh remastering to bring it up to date, the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Return to Me" has to endure some mild filtering, which sharpens the viewing experience, giving it a slightly video-like appearance. Filmic qualities are muted but not entirely destroyed, finding colors warmly retained, from summery greenery and Grace's garden to the amber lights and green neon of the restaurant, while primaries are consistent throughout. Skintones look natural, pinkish and true. Detail is acceptable, running into a few problem areas with crush, leaving evening sequences more solid than communicative. Textures are welcome on faces, and set decoration is easily surveyed. Print remains in comfortable shape, with only a few moments of speckling.

Return to Me Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix announces itself right at the beginning of the film, delivering crisp, full instrumentation for soundtrack cuts, holding bigness to set the mood. Scoring is less insistent but supportive. Dialogue exchanges are clear and emotive, capturing the wide range of performances and accents, while the group dynamic isn't flattened, managing overlapping conversations that are easily followed. Atmospherics for outdoor excursions and restaurant activities are welcome, creating credible environments. Surrounds aren't a priority here, rarely explored with any meaning beyond music cues and party scenes.

Return to Me Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writers Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake.

• Deleted Scene (3:38, SD) returns to the restaurant gang, where the guys belt out a mournful version of "Danny Boy," chased with a little bit of improvisation between O'Connor and Loggia.

• "What If I Loved You" (2:25, SD) is a music video from Joey Gian.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:25, SD) is included.

Return to Me Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As a film critic, my radar is set to capture most clichés, and "Return to Me" isn't shy when it comes to the use of formula to get from A to B. However, Hunt and Lake work overtime to connect the dots with the least amount of resistance, even finding a way to organically introduce a break-up-to-make-up climax that isn't strained in the least. Originality isn't the goal here, just sincerity, and Hunt earns every tear and smile found in the movie, giving the picture a cordial presence of family and tenderness, while jokes never fail. Perhaps the effort doesn't qualify as classic cinema, but rarely does one come across such accomplished, agreeable simplicity and irresistible atmosphere, sold with bright performances that capture deceptively casual rhythms. As pure entertainment goes, "Return to Me" is a dream come true.