Return (2011)

A soldier returns to her family, friends, and old job after a tour of duty, though she finds herself struggling to find her place in her everyday life.

Director:

Liza Johnson

Writer:

Liza Johnson

Stars:

Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, John Slattery

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Linda Cardellini	...	Kelli
Michael Shannon	...	Mike
John Slattery	...	Bud
Talia Balsam	...	Julie
Paul Sparks	...	Ed
Louisa Krause	...	Shannon
Rosie Benton	...	Brooke
James Murtaugh	...	Mr. Miller
Bonnie Swencionis	...	Cara Lee
Emma Rayne Lyle	...	Jackie (as Emma Lyle)
Tabitha Depew	...	Bree
Victoria Depew	...	Bree
Wayne Pyle	...	Franklin
Cheyenne Ruggiero	...	Girl #1
Dana Chaifetz	...	Avinelle (as Dannah Chaifetz)

Storyline

Back from a tour of duty, Kelli can't wait to rejoin her old life in the rust belt town she's always lived in. She's ready to experience the old feelings of everyday life- the carpet under her bare feet, a cold beer in front of the television, the smell of her baby's head. Slowly, though, she realizes that her everyday life doesn't resemble the one she left. Struggling to find her place in her family and the rust-belt town she no longer recognizes, what can she reclaim of her share of the way of life she's been fighting to protect?

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 2012 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Beacon, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$6,717 (USA) (10 February 2012)

Gross:

$6,717 (USA) (10 February 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

2.1 Films, Fork Films, Meredith Vieira Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #20.95 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Tell Me"
Written by Miguel Castillo, Ryan Farnham & George Hunter
Performed by Catfish Haven
Courtesy of Secretly Canadian
By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

Fantastic performance by Cardellini

Return is ultimately about the inner turmoil that a woman has on her return from her tour of duty. It's nothing incredibly original, but it's written and directed with enough sensibility and delicacy, and a woman being at the front and center may be something different for viewers. It works because it's never emotionally contrived and it never comes off as anything other than heartfelt and personal. What makes this as effective as it was were the performances. The entire supporting cast does some really solid work, but the praise belongs to Linda Cardellini, who gives a wonderfully understated and subtle performance. It's in her silent moments that she resonates the most with the audience, and she absolutely deserves a lot more mentions. She's either on par or better than several of the actresses in contention for awards. This is highly recommended because it deserves to put Cardellini on the spotlight, and I can only hope this gets seen enough in the upcoming months and as a result it gives her more career opportunities.