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"Lean
on 'Me'"
by Scott Mantz
"Return to Me"
David Duchovny, Minnie Driver
Directed by Bonnie Hunt
When it comes
to grief, nothing compares to losing your spouse (unless, of course,
you hate your spouse!). Settling down with your soul mate is a wonderful
experience, but losing that person unexpectedly is nothing short
of devastating. Try to imagine how Paul McCartney must have felt
after losing his wife Linda to breast cancer, after they spent only
one night apart during their 29-year courtship. How do you recover
from something like that? The answer is, over time. Some people
may need more time than others, but the fact is, life goes on. You
can either go on with it, or you can lay down and stop breathing.
That's the dilemma that David Duchovny faces in "Return to Me",
a heartwarming and charming slice-of-life film that just so happens
to be one of the best date flicks of the year.
Up until she
was killed in a freak car accident, Bob (David Duchovny) and Elizabeth
(Joely Richardson) had the perfect marriage. Even a year after her
death, he still cannot find the strength to move on. His house is
a mess, and he's irritable with his co-workers. His best friend
Charlie (David Alan Grier) thinks he's too wrapped up in his work,
so he sets him up on a blind date. When it doesn't go exactly as
planned, Bob meets Grace (Minnie Driver), a waitress at her grandfather's
restaurant. They hit it off instantly and start dating. Their relationship
is moving along just lovely, but when Bob discovers that Grace is
the recipient of his late wife's heart, the shock threatens to tear
them apart.
Before you even
think about running out and buying a box of Kleenex, think again.
It's not that kind of movie (thank God). First time director Bonnie
Hunt, who played Renee Zellweger's sarcastic sister in "Jerry Maguire",
was careful not to go down that sappy, sob-fested road. Instead,
the focus is on the upside. The recovery. The people who are still
around in the present. The people who are there to help you get
back on your feet.
All of the characters
have an irresistible charm, and that's what ultimately makes the
film so engaging. After a big screen career filled with films that
were either forgotten ("Kalifornia", "The Rapture") or just plain
awful ("Playing God"), this is by far David Duchovny's best film
role to date. The deadpan delivery that served him so well as Fox
Mulder in TV's "The X-Files" is left on the backburner, and Duchovny
effortlessly displays a comedic, emotional, and sensitive side not
seen before. He and Minnie Driver compliment each other, and she
also puts in a tender, sensitive, and heartwarming performance.
As for the supporting
players, they provide for some of the film's best scenes. Carroll
O'Connor returns to the big screen after an almost 25 year absence,
and his role as Driver's over-protective grandfather is as loving
as it is powerful. The scenes between the members of the elderly
lonely hearts club, consisting of O'Connor, his brother-in-law Robert
Loggia, and his friends Eddie Jones and William Bronder, are a thrill
to watch, simply because they are so charming. Bonnie Hunt puts
her sarcasm to good use once again as Driver's married-with-children
best friend, while James Belushi is hysterical as Hunt's fatherly,
beer-drinking husband.
"Return to Me"
is a good movie that could have been better had it not been for
such a predictable and ineffective ending. After solidifying itself
in the charm of its characters, the film feels like it couldn't
decide where to go. It's as if it was boxed into a corner and took
the path of least resistance to get out. The emotion that had been
built up all along leaves you hanging, and you're still left dangling
when the ending credits start to roll up the screen.
Having said
that, you can't be too critical about a movie like this. Just accept
it for what it is--a feel-good movie about people who deserve to
feel good. By avoiding the temptation to make a bona-fide tear-jerker,
Bonnie Hunt has made a movie that has a lot of heart. So what are
you waiting for? Take your significant other to see "Return to Me",
and go home happy.
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