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The Return

Play trailer Poster for The Return 2004 1h 46m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 88 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Andrey (Vladimir Garin) and Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov) are brothers who have been raised alone by their mother. When their father (Konstantin Lavronenko) suddenly returns home after vanishing some 12 years earlier, they are both extremely happy to see him back in their lives. Ivan, however, quickly grows suspicious of his father, and determines to find out where exactly his father vanished to all those years ago, and why he suddenly decided to come back into their lives now.

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The Return

The Return

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Critics Consensus

A suspenseful but perplexing thriller.

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Critics Reviews

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Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal 03/27/2013
The story, set in contemporary Russia, seems unexceptional at the start. Yet it plays out against a vast wilderness of shorelines and lakes, and turns tantalizing ambiguity into urgent mystery. Go to Full Review Andrew O'Hehir Salon.com 03/27/2013
The long and eventful fishing trip Dad drags the boys on is simultaneously a very real voyage through the Russian wilderness and also, like, a Jungian trip, man. Go to Full Review Scott Tobias AV Club 03/27/2013
B-
Throughout his expertly controlled film, Zvyagintsev never allows a break in the clouds to provide some reassuring sign that the brothers are on solid footing. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 08/18/2020
4/5
Konstantin Lavronenko provides the film with a menacing, glowering backbone, the return of the mythical fatherland who seems interested only in typically masculine, overtly cruel rites of passage as the way to approach his progeny. Go to Full Review Nathanael Hood Nate Hood Reviews 01/26/2020
9/10
The kind of movie you watch between your fingers as you hold your hands up to your face for protection. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/03/2019
3.5/4
Deftly explores the dynamic between father and son and its roots in masculine rage. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Virgo V @vision Feb 3 The Return is a 2003 Russian coming-of-age drama film directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and released internationally in 2004. It tells the story of two Russian boys whose father suddenly returns home after a 12-year absence. He takes the boys on a holiday to a remote island on a lake that turns into a test of manhood of almost mythic proportions. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (as well as the award for the best first film) and was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was also selected as the Russian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards, but it didn't make the final shortlist. The Return is a Russian drama film that has been praised for its cinematography, acting and themes. Some say it's a suspenseful thriller with a haunting quality. It received generally positive reviews from critics. Cinematography: The film features beautiful landscapes, tight crops and a great use of light. Acting: Some say the acting is breathtaking and the cast is delightful. Themes: The film explores themes of growing up and how to raise a Russian as a man. Subtext: The film can be enjoyed on a surface level, but it also leaves room for various subtextual readings. Ambiguity: The film's deliberate pace and ambiguity invite reflection and debate. Emotional power: The film is emotionally powerful and can be a deeply rewarding experience for patient viewers. Vision said it was a suspenseful but perplexing thriller. See more José Ricardo da V 09/10/2023 Excelente filme. Uma obra prima. Já assisti umas 50 vezes. Sou professor e já passei para meus alunos de ensino fundamental e médio. Capaz de estimular debates profundos sobre a relação familiar. See more Mary B 11/20/2022 Frustrating ending models life - unanswered questions that would haunt these boys for life. Ivan's anger so real for a child who needs proof of love. No remorse. See more Nicolas Y 06/01/2021 Russian angst at its peak See more 03/11/2021 Occasionally, the journey might be too long and meandering, but the destination shakes you to the core. See more Leaburn O 03/07/2021 José Mourinho returns to his kid's lives after a few years away. A drama but also a study of why boys need a father figure. Decent watch. See more Read all reviews
The Return

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Cast & Crew

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Andrey Zvyagintsev

Director

Ivan Dobronravov

Ivan

Vladimir Garin

Andrey

Konstantin Lavronenko

Father

Natalya Vdovina

Mother

Galina Petrova

Grandmother

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The Return

The Return (2003) The Return (2003) The Return (2003) A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. A scene from "The Return," a Kino International release. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Andrey (Vladimir Garin) and Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov) are brothers who have been raised alone by their mother. When their father (Konstantin Lavronenko) suddenly returns home after vanishing some 12 years earlier, they are both extremely happy to see him back in their lives. Ivan, however, quickly grows suspicious of his father, and determines to find out where exactly his father vanished to all those years ago, and why he suddenly decided to come back into their lives now.
Director
Andrey Zvyagintsev
Producer
Dmitri Lesnevsky
Screenwriter
Vladimir Moiseyenko, Aleksandr Novototskiy-Vlasov
Distributor
Kino Pictures
Production Co
Ren Film, United King Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Russian
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 6, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA)
$502.0K
Runtime
1h 46m
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