The Return Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
This November, fear comes home.
The past never dies. It kills.
The restless sales representative of a transport company Joanna Mills (Sarah Michelle Gellar) travels from Saint Louis to Texas in a business trip. She is haunted by violent visions and after meeting her client, she visits her lonely father. On the next morning, she decides to visit La Salle, a small town where she has never been before, but she had recollections of many locations. She lodges in a hotel and later she meets and is befriended by the local widower Terry Stahl, who helps her from an aggression. Her daydreams and nightmares increase and she becomes obsessed for disclosing the truth about her visions of a brutal murder of a woman in a barn. Along her investigation, Joanna gets close to the killer and feels that her life is in danger.
| Peter O'Brien | Terry Stahl |
| Adam Scott | Kurt |
| Sam Shepard | Ed Mills |
| J.C. MacKenzie | Griff & Young Griff |
| Wally Welch | Snack Stand Vendor |
| Frank Ertl | Ambrose Miller |
| Brad Leland | Mr. Marlin |
| Brent Smiga | Higgins |
| Robert Wilson | Billy |
| Peter Cornwell | Tavern Cowboy |
| Ben Hamby | Extra |
| Dan Murphy | Bar Patron/VW Bug Driver |
| Harry Santiago | Pool Player |
4.70 out of 10 (4662 votes)
Visitor Reviews
This Spirit Moved Me.......
posted on 20 Aug 2009This is an intelligent, intense and dark spiritual movie which I certainly enjoyed. A superior production and direction and in my opinion appears to be well under rated by the voters of IMDb.A young woman is tormented by her past and "returns" to her home to discover, if she can, the reasons for her haunting recollections and the questions raised include: is she mad? Or is her past or another's' being relived through her memories? The film is appropriately made in sombre autumnal colors in keeping with the ambiance of the story,and is an adult drama.I was impressed with all the actors especially the attractive lead female who is charismatic, convincing and highly watchable.Well done the film-makers, a sound, 7/10.
The Return...yeah.
posted on 18 Aug 2009That rating is me being nice. This movie wouldn't be missed if it was never made. There were no scary parts, not that the movie was supposed to scare you, but it would have given it some edge. It's about a little girl who is always seeing a man and grows up still seeing the man and everyone thinks she's crazy. That's a summary without spoilers believe me. Sarah does a pretty good job at acting her part but she's starting to waste time making these types of films. I enjoyed it even though I knew who so and so was and what the conclusion of the movie was because it was that simple. Have fun and see the movie, but don't expect something miraculous...believe me. Me being a fan of the reason behind the whole movie took the story line into consideration and thought that that part was okay...it just takes so long to get to the point. Blah Blah Blah...it just went on like I'm doing. It could have been thirty minutes and we would have gotten the movie. But don't listen to my opinion, go check it out yourself. Blah!
Wheres Spike when you need him?
posted on 29 Jul 2009A young woman plagued with visions returns home to confront the demons that have been haunting her all her life. I've heard the words suspenseful thrown around on this site and I've got to say that there is nothing going on here. Even as a turn your brain off mild distraction it bores to comatose levels. Sarah Michelle Gellar needs to do two things. One fire her agent. Two brush the chip off her shoulder and embrace Buffy firmly. Ask Moulder what happens when you turn your nose up to the nerds who made you famous. The Return is not Grudge 2 or The Fog bad in fact I wouldn't even use the word bad to describe it maybe shallow or weak would be better. If you feel the need to watch it make sure you pump caffeine in regular doses for The Returns duration. Blah.
oh dear god
posted on 23 Jul 2009I cannot believe some people actually enjoyed this movie Firstly this movie didn't make any sense, it was as if someone make a poor movie, then rearranged the film so it hardly makes any sense.The plot itself it quite confusing and the ending it poor, with no definite answer for why she felt the murder other than she was unconscious and involved in a car accident when the lady who "haunted" her died.All i Can say is this is another pathetic horror movie which makes little sense, the only half decent thing is the acting, which is following a poor script.All i can do is advise you to do is not waste your money seeing this film
crap
posted on 13 Jul 2009This movie sucks! This dumb movie is straight to video quality at best. It looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar has her face frozen like Ben Affleck all through the movie. Cheap attempts to scare people and muted colors are all this film will be known for. The whole pacing is terrible and Sarah Michelle Gellar and Peter O'Brien had no chemistry at all. How old was his character supposed to be? What kind of idiot killer hides a knife in a gas tank? This was really a lousy movie and I am glad I got my money refunded from the theater manager because this movie was falsely advertised and intentionally misleading. It was so boring that I could not believe how long this movie felt and it was only 85. The trailers before this stinker were more entertaining. Avoid this loser at all costs!
very intelligent well written suspense thriller
posted on 15 Jun 2009i'm really surprised by the low rating this movie currently has(4.8/10).i really liked it.that's saying a lot because i generally don't like Sarah Michelle Gellar.however,i didn't mind her in this movie.this movie kept me at unease throughout,not knowing what might happen next.the movie is filled with an air of dread.i also liked the look of the movie.very dark and atmospheric with muted colours.i found that very effective.the story itself is unique and is not predictable.i thought i had it figured out a few times,only to find out i was wrong.near the end,i came close to figuring it out,but it turned out i wasn't quite right.any movie that can keep you guessing to the end is doing something right,in my mind.there is lots of suspense in this movie,but no gore,which is very refreshing.this is one of the better suspense/thriller movies i have seen in a long time.i had low expectation going into this movie,and those expectation were shattered.if you're looking for a suspense movie with clever writing and good characters,check this movie out.for me,"The Return" is a 9/10
One of SMG's better outings
posted on 24 May 2009The makers of "The Return" should be lauded for the way this low-budget movie looks. It's gorgeously yet simply shot and edited. (I think that a lot of the movies that SMG has been in look just as cheesy as they are.) Although this is more of a supernatural thriller than a horror flick, I thought there were some genuinely scary moments such as when Joanna first sees her alter-ego in the mirror. In terms of pacing, the plot moves along fairly briskly without leaving too much out. Though it does leave me scratching my doppelganger's head, the story allowed me to suspend disbelief for the length of the movie, which is all I ask.Albeit not as good as "The Grudge" (so why do we keep comparing it to that?), "The Return" strikes me as the most satisfying movie SMG has done. Appearing in nearly every scene, she acts well and successfully carries the movie.
Clearly not the return of her career
posted on 18 May 2009Let me just say one thing. I waited an 1 hour of the movie, for something to happened, just a tiny creepy thing, but nothing!! Sarah michelle is quite a good actor and you can really tell in this movie, but the VERY VERY weak plot just drags it down. I fell asleep 2 times! i had to watch it at daytime, so i wouldn't fall asleep again. Don't get your hopes up for a new "grudge movie", cause this was pure pain.lets wait for the new Alice movie!! u will be surprised by the end, its the most awful thing about the movie.This movie sucked, no wonder it did poorly at the box office.:)
Underrated Supernatural Thriller
posted on 10 May 2009The restless sales representative of a transport company Joanna Mills (Sarah Michelle Gellar) travels from Saint Louis to Texas in a business trip. She is haunted by violent visions and after meeting her client, she visits her lonely father. On the next morning, she decides to visit La Salle, a small town where she has never been before, but she had recollections of many locations. She lodges in a hotel and later she meets and is befriended by the local widower Terry Stahl (Peter O'Brien), who helps her from an aggression. Her daydreams and nightmares increase and she becomes obsessed for disclosing the truth about her visions of a brutal murder of a woman in a barn. Along her investigation, Joanna gets close to the killer and feels that her life is in danger.I bought this DVD first because I am a huge fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar, the eternal Buffy, and also because I like supernatural stories. Fortunately I have disregarded the low IMDb User Rating since this film is an underrated supernatural thriller. The plot explores the concept of reincarnation in an adequate pace, unraveling the mystery in the last scenes. The direction is sharp and Sarah gives credibility to her character. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Retorno" ("The Return")
Nothing original - see something else this weekend
posted on 04 May 2009I think that the makers of it would like it to be described as a Supernatural Horror and it was rated 15 in our cinema.Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as Joanna a women in her mid 20's that keeps on hearing and seeing a man in visions. She is compelled to go to La Salle in Texas to get to the bottom of the mystery.After quickly visiting her best friend and her father, both of whom don't seem to notice or care that she takes of for at least a week without contacting either of them she arrives in LaSalle and meets this guy, who looked as though he was trying to hard at a Sawyer impression from Lost. The guy was a character who was so uninteresting that i cant remember his name.....In the end Joanna and "Sawyer" had a connection with each other in their pasts and once they had solved a grisly murder the visions disappeared and they drove off out of Texas in the guys old banger.I would find it hard to say i liked the film never mind recommending it to anybody else. The film is nothing we haven't seen before. There were a few cheap scares, but i think that complete silence followed by a loud bang of scream is bound to make anybody jump and just isn't scary.Sarah Michelle Gellar has matured from the blond haired Barbie who gets slashed to bits in high school horror movies to a brown haired women who survives in horror movies. Also with Sarah Michelle Gellar i find it hard to like any character she plays as they all seem so self involved and whiney - Buffy (ok that girl had problems i know but still), Daphne (scooby doo, need i say more) Karen from the Grudge (just boring!) Overall i would not recommend The Return to anybody as it is unoriginal and honestly uninteresting. The last 15mins was good as it was coming to the climax of the film but the run up to it was long, boring and confusing, i just didn't really get what i was watching. Overall i would give it a 4/10. Its a film to look out for on TV in a few years time.If you really want to see a recent horror film go rent The Ring (ok its a few years old) and if you really need to see a Sarah Michelle Gellar film rent The Grudge (the character SMG plays is uninteresting it has a few good scares!)
What a "Return"
posted on 14 Apr 2009This movie was very good. Sarah Gellar was on top of her game. Forget the people who gave this movie 1 star. It was very well paced and had a lot of twists. It never let you go! The movie itself had a very good storyline and a great bunch of actors. It wasn't a horror, but more like a mystery. You have to pay attention to understand how it ends. The part when the girl is portrayed as the suspects lover and really ends up as the hero is a twist you'll never forget! Who would had thought that the mechanic was in it the whole time? Well now they're making a sequel so get ready! I'll rent it if you want a choice to believe me or buy it if you're really a mystery fan!
Some memories die hard.
posted on 29 Mar 2009Joanna Mills(Sarah Michelle Gellar), a work-a-holic and successful business woman doesn't stay put in any one place for long. She seems to think this staying on the move will somehow fade the horrible nightmares of a fifteen year old murder. She doesn't really know how or why she keeps having visions of a certain barn and old farmhouse in Texas. Business takes Joanna back to her home state and she drops in on her estranged father Ed(Sam Shepard), who tries to shed light on how her nightmares began. Her trip back to Texas seems to have led to a successful deal; but he memories of the barn and farmhouse keep getting stronger...strong enough to draw her to the sight and its owner Terry Stahl(Peter O'Brien). The eerie finale is worth the wait. Also in the cast: Erinn Allison, Kate Beahan, Adam Scott, Brad Leland and as young Joanna, Darrian McClanahan.
Save Your Money, See Something Else
posted on 21 Mar 2009My friends and I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, but hoping for the best. When we came out, we were only slightly more informed on what the plot of the movie actually was. Though not the worst movie I've ever seen, I definitely do not recommend spending your money to see it in theaters. Maybe have a friend rent it for you (it's not even worth the rental cost, either) if you really want to see it.When a movie is so convoluted that you have no idea what's going on until the last five minutes, there's really not much that can be said in its defense. The acting was decent, more than you'd expect to get from this movie, and some of the shots were good, but it was all bogged down by a lame plot and poor script.This movie was actually so bad that as soon as it got out, I went and purchased a ticket to see a good movie just to cleanse my mind. I recommend that all of you just skip the first step and go see a good movie instead.
Return ... to Sender!
posted on 21 Mar 2009How on earth is it possible that, in this modern day & age of progressive cinema and amazing visual techniques, such redundant and out-of-date films like "The Return" still manage to find their way to theater distribution? I can't even decide what to hate most about this film, as the list of inept & pitiable aspects is almost too long to choose from. Sarah Michelle Gellar's embarrassing attempt to come across as a real actress? The total lack of logic and continuity? Or simply the fact it's an unendurably boring & soporific film that doesn't feature a single moment of action or tension? But most likely I hate it because director Asif Kapadia and writer Adam Sussman haven't even got an actual story to tell and simply attempt to tie together the loose ends of something that vaguely resembles a supernatural thriller/ghosts-from-the-past melodrama. I watched this dull turkey at the Belgian Festival of Horror & Fantasy Films and the spontaneous reactions of the audience didn't lie. "The Return" honestly deserved all the BOOH's and BOOOOOOORING's that were disrespectfully yelled at the screen. They want us to believe Gellar is a successful young saleswoman on her way to close up a million Dollar deal in the Texan area where she grew up. The poor woman is haunted by visions of a murder that occurred in the area almost 15 years ago and, even though she doesn't recognize the man in her dreams, she feels connected to him and carefully seeks contact. A whole lot of boredom and pointless sub plot later, there's the climax that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense and won't shock or surprise even the smallest child. I tremendously disliked the recent mystery-thriller "The Messengers" because it shamelessly presented an endless number false frights and clichés, but that film is honestly a masterpiece compared to "The Return", as the latter features nothing! Not even a single slamming door or random ghostly appearance in a mirror. The plot is often more incoherent than the ones of low-budget B-movies of the 70's, as some supportive characters inexplicably disappear and others abruptly enter the scene without being introduced. Sam Shepard, the only decent player in the entire film, is dreadfully underused while the awful TV-actor Peter O'Brien gives away a terrible performance. Roman Osnin provides the film with a handful of beautifully shot images that actually deserved to be in a better film. Some people claimed that "The Return" turned out a lot better because they didn't expect to see a horror film. Well, I think that no matter what genre you're expecting to see, it'll always remain a dire film.
A beautiful, well-written, supernatural mystery
posted on 17 Mar 2009This film is NOT a horror film The reason it probably flopped and why a lot of teens hate it is because it was marketed as a horror film. IT IS NOT It is very slow-paced, but some scenes are so beautiful. The atmosphere is dark. THIS IS THE WAY THRILLERS SHOULD BE. The film is either love it or hate it. If you were expecting a top- notch action horror film, you'll hate it. But as for me, the main storyline was well-delivered. Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting is also very good. IT ALSO TEACHES A LESSON. There are some also very beautiful outdoors scenes that make the film even better.This is better than the average thrillers. Unlike other supernatural films(The Grudge and The Ring) i found this to be better. Who said thrillers had to be scary? This is more realistic than others, and for that, it is.
Worst movie of 2007?
posted on 11 Mar 2009This is by the far worst piece of cr4p I've ever seen in my life. It barely made sense. It wasn't scary at all (unless you class scary as loud noises and screaming?) Sarah-Michelle Gellar needs to stop with these sh1tty horror films. I think everyone else in the cinema agreed with me when i shouted "SHITE" when the credits rolled up. On my list of the worst movies ever made this is how it would go:1. The Return 2. Cabin Fever 3. Silent HillThe reason i made Silent Hill 3rd is because it showed some frightening scenes, but the rest was absolute cr4p. Same with cabin fever, made no sense, but the return topped that list. Its worse than Silent Hill and Cabin Fever put together
This movie super sucks
posted on 05 Mar 2009This was far and away the worst movie i've ever seen in my entire life. It was slow, boring, not scary, not funny, not dramatic, not entertaining.Sarah Michelle Gellar was up to her old playbook of empty expressions of fright and shock. She couldn't sell her character nor could anyone else in the picture.For those who thought the Grudge was 'kind of alright' then don't go see this unless you get enjoyment out of wasting your time and your life.I saw this movie for free by the way so I don't want this to come across as a rant from a guy that lost 8 bucks on a terrible movie. It was free, it still sucked, I hated it.Avoid.
Awful, Bland, & Moronic
posted on 27 Feb 2009I think a round of applause is in order for whoever pieced together the trailer for Rogue Pictures' latest release, 'The Return'. I myself, along with everyone else have been duped into believing it is in fact a horror film. On the contrary though, its actually a supernatural thriller. Too bad it is not the least bit thrilling.'The Return' stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Joanna Mills, a young woman who has had personal problems since the age of eleven. It was at that age that she began having haunting visions depicting the murder of a woman whom she has never met. While in Texas on a business trip, she is led by these visions to the murdered woman's hometown, La Salle. There she comes face to face with another person who has frequently appeared in her visions. A man by the name of Terry Stahl, who is played by Peter O'Brien. Joanna is now on a desperate search for answers. A search that could in the end result in her very own murder.I really don't know where to begin here folks. Which should I mention first? The atrocious acting, hideous directing, or the terribly bland story? No matter which one I choose my point behind each is the same: they simply suck. Adam Sussman's screenplay is downright moronic. Its not interesting. Its not compelling. Its just plain unpleasant. I kept waiting for something to jumpstart the "film" (I've placed quotations around film because I don't believe 'The Return' deserves to be called an actual film due to it's foulness.) and at least give it some slight chance of hope, but nothing ever happened. I was left out in an unbearable cold to freeze. Not even stellar performances from the actors themselves could have saved this disaster. Of course they probably knew this having read the script then agreeing to do the "film". I assume this is why the acting was so awful. At least that's what I'm choosing to believe. I really hope the cast doesn't pride themselves on their performances. They need immediate medical attention if they do.Now the directing was unmistakably bad, but I can't quite crucify Asif Kapadia entirely. (Well I could, but I won't since I'm such a nice guy.) I look at 'The Return' as a test for Kapadia because for all of you that don't know, this is his first full-length feature "film". He's just getting his foot in the door and still learning. Next time around, well if there is a next time, hopefully he will have improved vastly. The only thing he was able to accomplish here was almost completely duplicating the visual style of Marcus Nispel's 2003 re-make of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Now that's nice the "film" was given that, but unfortunately he still won't be receiving any kudos from me for that. Copying someone else's work isn't something I consider to be praise worthy. (Even if it is from a film I very much enjoyed.)I think Jim Sonzero's American re-make of 'Pulse' will now have to fork over the title of Worst Film of the Year to 'The Return'. It beyond question is deserving of the title in almost every imaginable way. Now I don't doubt this will make a small, and I mean very small, profit. No matter what though, it won't surpass or even parallel the fluke success of Gellar's previous acting effort, 'The Grudge'. On that note, there's one last thing I'd like to add. I can honestly say I had never been embarrassed to have been seen leaving a theater auditorium until seeing 'The Return'. That is something I never wish to experience again, along with the "film" itself.
Lame!
posted on 21 Feb 2009This movie was a waste of my time and money. The previews were totally misleading. I mean it made it seem like they had monsters and the works in this movie. Nope. Not one monster. The movie has an interesting plot but it takes too damn long to get an understanding of what the hell is going on and when you finally understand you're like ummmmmm OK. WOW! Why did they make that movie? Why? Why? Why?Please people I beg you, don't see this movie unless you want to be out of your mind bored. Sarahneeds to get back on the map because her last 2 movies were BORING! I agree with Mike. Go see Saw 3. It's totally worth it.......
A well made thriller with an outstanding plot.
posted on 20 Aug 2009I thought that this was an excellent movie, with good suspense and atmosphere, good acting, and with a quite brilliant plot. The plot develops slowly, and this may be a problem for the movie's commercial success. However, during this time it is building up tension and a sense that a strange menacing power is at work, and this makes the movie's strong climax all the more effective. Also, I thought that someone had come up with a very good story, one that reminded me of something from Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, or something that I might see in Japanese cinema, and this was just the way the story had to be told.I thought that Sarah Michelle Gellar was quite impressive as Joanna Mills. She effectively portrayed someone haunted by a frightening mystery, and drawn inexorably towards its center. For that matter, I thought that the whole cast gave strong performances. The use of flashbacks was quite effective, as were the shots of the scenery of rural Texas. Sometimes the scenery added to the atmosphere of dread, but it was always beautiful.