Film Summary
For an excellent, dark, weighty movie, where better to turn than Russia? Set in contemporary Russia, THE RETURN is a terrific, primeval new film which the leading critics are heralding as a return to the great Russian cinematic classics. The story has Biblical resonance: young brothers Vanya and Andrey have grown up fatherless, so both boys have developed a deep attachment. Running home after a fight with neighborhood kids, the boys are shocked to discover their father has returned after a twelve-year absence. With their mother's uneasy blessing, Vanya and Andrey set out on what they believe will be a fishing vacation with their taciturn father. Though at first ecstatic to be reunited with the father they've only known from a faded photograph, the boys strain under the weight of their dad's awkward and increasingly brutal efforts to make up for a missing decade of parental supervision. "Stunning feature film debut ...renews the grand tradition of Russian cinematic mysticism epitomized by Andrei Tarkovsky." (Dave Kehr, The New York Times.) "A luminously beautiful and enigmatic debut feature." (Leslie Camhi, The New York Times.) "A startling directorial debut . . . riveting..." (Deborah Young, Variety.) "Riveting to watch.... does everything a Hollywood picture doesn't... art houses will love this remarkably controlled debut." (Dan Fanairu, Screen International.)