Return to Me

Last updated
Return to Me
Returntomeposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bonnie Hunt
Screenplay byBonnie Hunt
Don Lake
Story byBonnie Hunt
Don Lake
Andrew Stern
Samantha Goodman
Produced byJennie Lew Tugend
Starring
Cinematography László Kovács
Edited byGarth Craven
Music byDanny DiMinno
Carmen Lombardo
Nicholas Pike
Production
company
Distributed by MGM Distribution Co. (United States)
United International Pictures (International)
Release date
  • April 7, 2000 (2000-04-07)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$24 million
Box office$36 million

Return to Me is a 2000 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Bonnie Hunt and starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. It was filmed in Chicago and was released on April 7, 2000 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. It was Carroll O'Connor's final film before his death the following year.

Contents

Plot

Bob and Elizabeth Rueland live and work in Chicago. Bob is an architect and Elizabeth is a zoologist at Lincoln Park Zoo.

On the night of her fundraiser for a new primate house, Bob promises Elizabeth that he will finish the building. However, she is killed in a car accident leaving the fundraiser, and her heart is transplanted to artist Grace Briggs, who has suffered from heart disease since the age of 14 and is near death.

The surgery is successful, and Grace is able to live a normal life for the first time. She plans to take 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, but it takes her more than a year to find the courage to mail the letter. Bob works to build the primate house for which Elizabeth raised money, but he is still depressed a year after her death and recognizes that he must resume his life.

A friend organizes a blind date for Bob that goes badly, as his date is very obnoxious, petty and self-absorbed. However, Bob is drawn to the waitress, Grace, who is also the granddaughter of the restaurant's owner.

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 share her medical history. After several months of dating, Grace finally decides to tell Bob about the transplant. However, before she can do so, she finds the letter that she had sent several months earlier in Bob's house.

Horrified by the discovery, Grace flees and tells Megan what has happened. Megan's husband Joe becomes infuriated because he has misunderstood Grace's panic and thinks Bob must be married. Megan then shouts at Joe, "Grace has Bob's dead wife's heart!" When Grace meets Bob again, she tells him the truth, leaving him speechless.

Against Megan's advice to face the situation, Grace travels to Italy alone. Back at home, Bob realizes that although he will always miss Elizabeth, he pines for Grace, so he reunites with her in Italy. They return to Chicago for the dedication of the new primate house.

The characters, including a pregnant Megan, dance at a wedding reception.

Cast

Reception

The film received generally mixed reviews. Based on 100 reviews, it has a score of 62% at Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus reads: "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 the film "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 awarded the film a C+ grade and stated that "the alluringly deadpan Duchovny can make no headway with Driver." [3] Jay Carr of The Boston Globe called the film "ultimately too bland and safe." [4]

The film opened in fourth place at the North American box office, earning US$7.8 million in its opening weekend, behind The Road to El Dorado , Erin Brockovich and Rules of Engagement . [5] It returned $32,662,299 during its entire box-office run. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Craft</i> (film) 1996 film by Andrew Fleming

The Craft is a 1996 American teen supernatural horror film directed by Andrew Fleming from a screenplay by Peter Filardi and Fleming and a story by Filardi. The film stars Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True. It follows four outcast teenage girls at a Los Angeles parochial high school who pursue witchcraft for their own gain and subsequently experience negative repercussions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnie Hunt</span> American actress and comedian (born 1961)

Bonnie Lynn Hunt is an American actress and comedian. Her film roles include Rain Man, Beethoven, Beethoven's 2nd, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Cheaper by the Dozen 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Graham</span> American actress (born 1970)

Heather Joan Graham is an American actress. The accolades she has received include nominations for two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and an Independent Spirit Award.

<i>Taxi</i> (2004 film) 2004 film by Tim Story

Taxi is a 2004 action comedy film directed by Tim Story and starring Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon, Gisele Bündchen in her film debut, Jennifer Esposito, and Ann-Margret. An incompetent New York City police officer is banned from driving and comes to rely on a talented taxi driver to help him solve a series of bank robberies. The film is a remake of the 1998 French film of the same name and was panned by critics.

<i>Pay It Forward</i> (film) 2000 American drama film by Mimi Leder

Pay It Forward is a 2000 American romantic drama film directed by Mimi Leder. The film is based loosely on the novel of the same name by Catherine Ryan Hyde. It is set in Las Vegas, and it chronicles 11- to 12-year-old Trevor McKinney's launch of a goodwill movement known as "pay it forward". It stars Haley Joel Osment as Trevor, Helen Hunt as his alcoholic single mother Arlene McKinney, and Kevin Spacey as his physically and emotionally scarred social studies teacher Eugene Simonet. The film was released on October 20, 2000, to mixed-to-negative reviews and was a box office disappointment, grossing $55.7 million worldwide against a $40 million budget.

<i>Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!</i> 2004 film by Robert Luketic

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Victor Levin and starring Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, Josh Duhamel, Gary Cole, Ginnifer Goodwin, Sean Hayes and Nathan Lane. The film follows a small-town girl (Bosworth) who wins a contest for a date with a male celebrity (Duhamel) and a love triangle forms between the girl, the star and the girl's best friend (Grace).

<i>Guinevere</i> (1999 film) 1999 film directed by Audrey Wells

Guinevere is a 1999 American drama film about the artistic and romantic relationship between a young student and her older mentor.

<i>Joe Dirt</i> 2001 film by Dennie Gordon

Joe Dirt is a 2001 American adventure comedy film, directed by Dennie Gordon, starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Adam Beach, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf, and produced by Robert Simonds. The plot revolves around a poor young man, Joe Dirt, who at first seems to be a loser. As he travels in search of his parents, his finer qualities are increasingly revealed. He ends up with a new family of close friends, people he has helped and who respect him. While critical reception was mostly negative, the film was a modest financial success, eventually becoming a cult favorite. A sequel, Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser, premiered on Crackle on July 16, 2015.

<i>Blood Work</i> (film) 2002 film by Clint Eastwood

Blood Work is a 2002 American mystery thriller film starring, produced, and directed by Clint Eastwood. It co-stars Jeff Daniels, Wanda De Jesús, and Anjelica Huston. It is based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Michael Connelly.

<i>Under the Tuscan Sun</i> (film) 2003 film by Audrey Wells

Under the Tuscan Sun is a 2003 American romantic comedy-drama written, produced, and directed by Audrey Wells and starring Diane Lane. Based on Frances Mayes' 1996 memoir of the same name, the film is about a recently divorced writer who buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim, hoping it will lead to a change in her life. Lane received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her performance.

<i>Serving Sara</i> 2002 film by Reginald Hudlin

Serving Sara is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Matthew Perry, Elizabeth Hurley, and Bruce Campbell. The story follows a process server given the assignment to serve a British socialite with divorce papers, but is persuaded to serve her husband instead so that she can get a larger portion of his money in the divorce. The film was panned by critics and did poorly at the box office, debuting in the top 10 when it was released on August 23, 2002, in the US, where it grossed only $5,750,000 on the weekend.

<i>The Real Blonde</i> 1997 film by Tom DiCillo

The Real Blonde is a 1997 American film directed and written by Tom DiCillo, and starring Matthew Modine, Catherine Keener and Maxwell Caulfield. It is a satire of New York's fashion and entertainment industries.

<i>Trapped</i> (2002 film) 2002 American film

Trapped is a 2002 crime thriller film directed by Luis Mandoki and starring Charlize Theron, Courtney Love, Stuart Townsend, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Fanning and Pruitt Taylor Vince. Based on Greg Iles' bestselling novel 24 Hours, it follows a wealthy Portland, Oregon, couple whose daughter is kidnapped by a mysterious man and his wife who demand a ransom for unclear reasons.

<i>A Mighty Heart</i> (film) 2007 drama film directed by Michael Winterbottom

A Mighty Heart is a 2007 American drama film directed by Michael Winterbottom from a screenplay by John Orloff. It is based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl.

<i>The X-Files: I Want to Believe</i> 2008 science fiction film

The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a 2008 American supernatural thriller film directed by Chris Carter, and written by Carter and Frank Spotnitz. It is the second feature film installment of The X-Files franchise created by Carter, following the 1998 film. Three main actors from the television series, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and Mitch Pileggi, reappear in the film to reprise their respective roles as Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and Walter Skinner.

<i>The Proposal</i> (2009 film) 2009 film by Anne Fletcher

The Proposal is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Peter Chiarelli. It is produced by Kurtzman/Orci Productions, Mandeville Films and Touchstone Pictures for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds with Malin Åkerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen and Betty White in supporting roles. The plot centers on a Canadian executive who learns that she may face deportation from the U.S. because her visa renewal application was denied. Determined to retain her position as editor-in-chief of a publishing house, she convinces her long-suffering personal assistant to temporarily act as her fiancé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Duchovny</span> American actor and writer (born 1960)

David William Duchovny is an American actor, director, writer, producer and musician. He portrayed FBI agent Fox Mulder on the television series The X-Files and played the writer Hank Moody on the television series Californication (2007–2014), both of which have earned him Golden Globe awards. Duchovny appeared in both X-Files films; the 1998 science fiction-thriller of the same name and the supernatural-thriller The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). He executive-produced and starred in the historically based cop drama Aquarius (2015–2016).

<i>Remember Me</i> (2010 film) 2010 American film

Remember Me is a 2010 American coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Allen Coulter and written by Will Fetters. It stars Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin, and Pierce Brosnan. The film received mixed to unfavorable reviews from critics, with much of the criticism centered on its twist ending which divided audiences.

<i>Goats</i> (film) 2012 American film

Goats is a 2012 comedy-drama film directed by Christopher Neil and written by Mark Poirier based on his 2000 novel Goats. The film stars David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Graham Phillips, Keri Russell, Justin Kirk, and Ty Burrell. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2012, and was given a limited release in the United States on August 10, 2012, by Image Entertainment.

<i>Beyond the Lights</i> 2014 film

Beyond the Lights is a 2014 American romantic drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Machine Gun Kelly, and Danny Glover. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 14, 2014. In 2015, the song "Grateful" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

References

  1. "Return to Me". Rotten Tomatoes .
  2. Ebert, Roger (7 April 2000). "Return To Me". www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  3. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (7 April 2000). "Return to Me". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  4. "Return to Me - Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  5. "The Top Movies, Weekend of April 7, 2000". The Numbers. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  6. "Return to Me". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.