RETURN TO ME

US, 2000, 115 minutes, Colour.
David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carrol O' Connor, Robert Loggia, Bonnie Hunt, David Alan Grier, Joely Richardson, Eddie Jones, James Belushi, Marianne Muellerleile.
Directed by Bonnie Hunt.

Return to Me is a film of great appeal, especially for those who enjoy not only romantic films but also family comedies.

The film was co-written and directed by Bonnie Hunt who takes one of the central roles as the sister of Grace, Minnie Driver, who has a heart transplant. The audience has already seen the happy couple, Bob and Elizabeth, she being a trainer of gorillas, teaching sign language, he a designer for buildings. They have been to a social with an appeal for donations for the zoo project and she is killed in an accident on the way home. Grace receives her heart.

After a year of convalescence, with Grace reluctant to date because of her scar, she encounters Bob by chance at the restaurant owned by her grandfather and managed by an interesting group of Italians and Irish, the older group enjoying playingcards together and arguing who has the better singers, the Italians or the Irish!

Bob and Grace are attracted to each other but she discovers the letter she wrote to the family of the transplant in Bob’s house. Ultimately, they accept each other and there is happy ending.

The supporting cast is very good with Carol O’ Connor as the Irish grandfather, Robert Loggia as the Italian cook, Bonnie Hunt as the sister and James Belushi as her rough husband.

On paper, this one is very sentimental, but in the film it all works very well.

1. The appeal of the film? Love, sentiment? A family? Scenes of death?

2. The focus on the transplant, Elizabeth, the accident, her death, Grace waiting for the transplant, the heart arriving, the surgery, the care?

3. Chicago settings, the city, skylines, homes, the zoo, high-rise buildings? The restaurant, garden? The building sites? The final touches of Italy, especially of Rome? The musical score? The range of songs – Italian and Irish?

4. Bob and Elizabeth, the training the gorilla, the sign language, the touch of hands, communication – and later for Grace with her hand? The social, the appeal, her speech, the donors, Charlie and his being used to get rid of the boring donors? The dance, the sudden cutting to blood, Elizabeth’s death off-screen?

5. Bob, his grief, alone, dedicating himself to his work, his friendship with Charlie, his outburst against the officials and their delay for the building, working with his co-workers?

6. Not socialising, Charlie and his invitation, Bob reluctantly going, Marsha and her laugh, criticisms and complaints, the water and her actually drinking tap water? The phone calls and his decision to leave? His seeing Grace with the water, giving him the meal? Losing his phone?

7. His return call, going back, late, the cooks and staff, playing cards, discovering Grace, her pyjamas and shower cap, the garden and the flowers, inviting her to a date and her eagerly saying yes?

8. The introduction to Grace, in the hospital, Megan being with her, her grandfather’s visit, the operation, success, convalescence, in the garden, painting? A year passing? Her writing the letter to the family of the donor? Difficulties in posting it, Megan urging her? At the zoo with Megan and with the children?

9. Megan and Joe, married, rough, love, arguing, bringing up the kids, the issue of swearing and language, outings, with Grace?

10. Grandfather, friendship with Angelo, Eddie, Walter, Sophie? Well-drawn characters? Their interactions? Italian and Irish? The cooking, the serving, Grace doing the waiting? Playing cards, arguments about Bing Crosby and Irish singers, Frank Sinatra and Italians?

11. Bob and Grace, going out, at the bowling alley, his being inept, Charlie arriving, shocked, Bob and Grace together, his touching her, her slapping automatically, reconciling, the kiss?

12. Grace, self-conscious, not telling anyone about the operation? Love for Bob? His house, discovering the letter? The date knowing she had Elizabeth’s heart? Leaving, Bob puzzling?

13. Bob discovering the truth, his reactions, needing time?

14. Joe, Grace weeping, becoming angry, willing to threaten Bob, then supporting him?

15. The decision for Grace to go to Italy, her grandfather buying tickets, the scenery and Italy, her inability to paint, talking to the waiter, telling his story, going to Rome – and the humour of the nuns with the bike?

16. Bob, sitting on the back of the bike behind the gun, the invitation to the dedication?

17. The dedication ceremony, the words about Elizabeth, the gorilla and his new habitat? His sense of her presence?

18. The reconciliation, the joke with the scene at the wedding, audiences expecting Bob and Grace but rather Walter and Sophie?

19. Ordinary people, their lives, insights, humour, death, sadness, love and hope?