The Return
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Movie Reviews of The Return
Movie Review: A simply amazing movie
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.Movie Review: Great debut. A stunning, yet human, allegory
Summary: 4 Stars
'The Return' opens with the stark image of a few boys standing atop a tower overlooking the murkiest of bays. It is cold and the drop is quite a large one, presenting them with yet another danger to defeat. Two of these boys are brothers: the teenage Andrei (Vladimir Garin) and the younger Vanya (Ivan Dobronravov). One by one they begin to jump off the top and into the depths of the water, leaving young Vanya curled up in a ball, crying at the thought of descending from such a height. The rest of the boys later learn he never jumped after leaving him there, nearly scared for his life. They call him a pig, a coward, and even his brother joins in the criticism, till the two begin to beat each other up, chasing each other back to their house where their mother stands on an empty porch, smoking, looking into the distance: "Don't wake your father."
The boys' father (Konstantin Lavronenko) has been gone for 12 years. During that period of time, the brothers became close, bonding emotionally (as revealed in the first few scenes afore mentioned), and adjusted to life without a father they knew existed and thrived elsewhere. Now, they come to dinner to find him pouring wine for his wife and mother-in-law. He is commanding, stern, stoic: it seems as if he is incapable of expressing emotion, fascinating Andrei and Vanya nonetheless. Their hesitant mother sends the boys with their newly arrived father on what is believed to be a fishing trip, but is exhibited to be something more intriguing, an idea that unfortunately is never fully developed (any attempts to shape the father's other intentions on this trip are often confused and unfocused).
What remains strong throughout is the film's use of metaphor. The story turns into that of a road trip, the father teaching his boys life lessons along the way. He maintains his stern disposition even when he inflicts both physical and emotional hardship upon his sons, both of whom barely know him, in turn taking mere slaps and yells deep to heart, judging his every action. This situation progressively begins to reek of societal and political comparisons. Luckily, the film never reaches that level of didacticism which limits one's room for interpretation. In addition, the intense human emotions demonstrated in the central relationship remain palpable, despite 'The Return' being obviously allegorical.
Much of this emotion is well maintained as a result of strong acting. Lavronenko's father is always nuanced with near-tearful eyes or looks of worry and of pain revealing his deep longing for his sons' affections. Garin's Andrei is perfectly naive, balancing his character's symbolic and human natures. However, it is perhaps Ivan Dobronravov's Vanya that most affected me.
Recently, critics and movie-goers have acclaimed little Freddie Highmore's performance in 'Finding Neverland' as masterful. Though I loved Highmore's work, there is no doubt the also quite young Dobronravov does all Highmore did in 'Neverland' and then some. I was impressed with his ability to completely draw me into his character's feelings, never black-and-white, but honest. There is a scene where he's atop yet another tower --for reasons I will not mention, as not to ruin the film for you-- and he whispers hurtful words to himself, and I sat in my bed in complete emotional shock. Coming out of Dobronravov's mouth, these words were meaningful and dug deep within my heart, as I was able to witness the dimensions in them unfolding, one after the other. This occurs before a drastic, but completely necessary and well-handled twist in the story. As a result of Dobronravov's acting, the final third of the film carries an emotional weight on its back that serves both the film's metaphor and its human message well, elevating 'The Return' to a level you did not see approaching. I applaud this child's performance, and it will undoubtedly end up on my short list for the year's best lead acting performances. Not since Haley Joel Osment in 'The Sixth Sense' have I been this impressed, this moved by a child actor (sorry, Keisha Castle-Hughes).
I urge you to see this movie. Sure, at times it may be a bit slow-moving, but a performance by a child this dimensional, cinematography this gorgeous, a metaphor this well presented: it's all so rare, I cannot help but strongly admire director Andrei Zvyagintsev for giving us a film strong at its core, if not polished on its surface.
Movie Review: Deserves a Criterion Collection release.
Summary: 4 Stars
It really is a shame that this dvd did not have a commentary track by director Andrei Zvyagintsev . I would love to know how a first time director can take less than $500,000 and turn it into something as beautiful and haunting as this. There are tons of directors out there who will work their whole careers and never come close to making a movie as good as Zvyagintsev has here and in Russia no less! I'd also like to know more about the death of Vladimir Garin who drown soon after shooting was finished, but I'm getting ahead of myself....
Two teenage boys are surprised one day at the unannounced return of their father who has been gone for 12 years. He is a man of few words and strangely enough on his second day back he takes the boys out the road for a "three" day fishing trip.
Things quickly go downhill as the father's intensions are as unknown as their destination. He is cruel to both of the boys to the point that it looks like he is trying to make them into "men" overnight or break their spirits for something more sinister.
The eldest boy, Andrey (the one who drown in real life) wants to love his father, but is conflicted by his father's brutality and his love for his younger brother who is openly bitter about the father's absence.
I'm not going to give away the whole story. It's better to let the tense mount, but I will tell you to watch the youngest brother played by Ivan Dobronravov. That kid can act! He make the boy from THE SIXTH SENSE look like the red-headed geek from "Different Strokes".
Movie Review: A Biblical Allegory in a Stark Landscape
Summary: 4 Stars
While I very much admired it, let me say up-front that people with short attention spans will not enjoy the Russian film THE RETURN (a.k.a. VOZVRASHCHENIYE). It has a simple storyline, spare dialogue, and long takes. Watching it, one senses allegorical intentions of an almost Biblical proportion after a while.
Which is another way of saying that this is an art film. (Albeit a gorgeously filmed and affecting one.)
I was very sad to learn that the young man who plays the older brother Andrey (Vladimir Garin) died in a boating accident not long after THE RETURN was completed. This is odd and poignant; as Andrey, he spends a lot of time in a small rowboat. And he was a compelling actor whose face is a fascinating canvas of stubbornness, humor, and hope. (His brother, Ivan Dobronravov also gives a bravura performance.)
As to the film, with its mythic aspirations, it could easily have fallen flat. But it doesn't; instead, director Andrey Zvyagintsev's ambitions are realized through the believable acting, gorgeous cinematography, and intentionally open-ended storyline. THE RETURN is not the kind of movie that you love, but you sure do think about it after the credits roll.
Movie Review: Great Russian film
Summary: 4 Stars
A very fine first film by Russian director Andrei Zvyagyntsev. A pair of boys (a teenager and his younger brother) live with their mother in a decrepit town in northwestern Russia. Suddenly, their absent father returns (a rude and authoritarian figure, who it is suggested, has been a military pilot) and brings them to a mysterious island for what is presumably a fishing trip. But, as it turns out, in the island a treasure is buried, perhaps from a burglary from which the father might be connected. The older brother adores his father, while the younger one loathes him. The father becomes growingly brutal, and as the movie suspense increases, everything points out to a final tragedy. Fine performances by everybody, but specially the boys (sadly, after the movie was shot, the actor playing the older brother die in the lake shown in the movie, in a scene eerily reminiscent of one portrayed in the film). The Christian symbolism is sometimes a bit heavy handed (with the father being a sort of devious Jesus figure), but otherwise this is a very fine movie.