Return To Me parents guide

Return To Me Parent Guide

The heart always knows.

Overall B+

The love and faith of an Irish family are the heart and soul of the romance Return To Me. Carol O'Conner plays the grandfather of Grace (Minnie Driver), a young woman in need of a heart transplant. David Duchovny is Bob, a lonely widower who finds new hope when Irish eyes are smiling.

Release date April 7, 2000

Violence A-
Sexual Content B+
Profanity B-
Substance Use C+

Why is Return To Me rated PG? The MPAA rated Return To Me PG for language and thematic elements.

Run Time: 111 minutes

Parent Movie Review

A good romance should have heart, and Return To Me does in the most literal sense.

Bob (David Duchovny) dearly loves his wife Elizabeth (Joely Richardson). While Bob designs buildings, Elizabeth pampers gorillas at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo until a fateful evening. After a fund raising bash for the new gorilla habitat Bob’s promised Elizabeth he will build, the couple is in a car accident (unseen to us) that takes Elizabeth’s life.

While Bob grieves, somewhere else in this large city is Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver). Suffering from a congenital heart defect, inherited from her late mother, Grace’s Catholic family and friends fervently pray for her only hope of survival—a donor heart. Fortunately Elizabeth signed her donor card and her heart becomes Grace’s opportunity.

Over the next year, Grace recovers from her surgery under the loving care of her Irish grandfather Marty (Carrol O’Conner), and is soon able to work at the Irish-Italian restaurant he co-owns with his brother-in-law chef Angelo (Robert Loggia). After hours, these elderly men play cards with their friends, and dish up as much humor as they do advice about Grace’s future.

Finding a man for Grace also occupies the interests of her best friend Megan (played by Bonnie Hunt, who directed and co-wrote the film). Megan and her blue-collar husband Joe (James Belushi) have five children and a loving relationship, even though Joe is usually muttering profanities that are repeated (to his wife’s distress) by their children.

Not having the same support group with which to share his sorrow, Bob moves through a series of events that eventually lead him to meet Grace. There he finds encouragement, support, and most all—Grace. With their attraction growing, neither is yet aware of the unusual connection between them.

My expectations of a contrived sentimental romance were all but gone fifteen minutes into this film. Like a sweet and sour sauce, this witty script, full of superb acting, provides tears, laughter, and faith in a refreshing way as it blends Bob’s grief with Grace’s joy.

Directed by Bonnie Hunt. Starring David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carol O'Conner.. Running time: 111 minutes. Theatrical release April 7, 2000. Updated

Return To Me Parents' Guide

How is the portrayal of elderly people and the way they interact with younger people, unusual compared to other movies? How are elderly characters typically depicted? How stereotypical is the portrayal of religion or the character’s commitment to their faith?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Return To Me movie is October 30, 2000. Here are some details…

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