The Return

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The Return

R

2024

1h 56m

Adventure

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

92 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

100+ Verified Ratings

After 20 years away, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The King has returned from the Trojan War, but much has changed in his kingdom. His beloved wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is a prisoner in her own home, hounded by suitors vying to be king. Their son Telemachus faces death at the hands of these suitors, who see him as merely an obstacle to their pursuit of the kingdom. Odysseus has also changed--scarred by his experience of the Trojan war, he is no longer the mighty warrior from years past--but he must rediscover his strength in order to win back all that he has lost.

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Critics Consensus

The Return removes the mythology from Odysseus' homecoming along with some of the fun, but Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche's terrific performances keep this drama absorbing.

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Ben Nicholson

Sight & Sound

Eschewing the fantastical voyages not only allows Pasolini to ground his version of the story in a more realistic setting but brings the psychology of the characters to the fore.

Nov 5, 2025

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The main draw is the cast, with Ralph Fiennes sinewy and racked by self-doubt and guilt as Odysseus, returned from war after a 20-year absence, and a compelling turn from Juliette Binoche as Penelope. Both are terrific, but Binoche is the standout.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 15, 2025

Full Review

Dan Jolin

Empire Magazine

Aka ‘The Odyssey: The Bits Without The Monsters’. Not that that should put you off, as Binoche and Fiennes bring some raw, fleshy humanity to this mythic text, giving it a modern twist that balances the film’s flaws.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 15, 2025

Full Review

Mariló Delgado

Espinof

Pasolini's film lacks the glamour of a blockbuster or fantasy film. It focuses on showing us the human side of the story, seeking its rawest and most realistic aspect, a psychological drama set in Bronze Age Greece.[Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Sep 3, 2025

Full Review

Antonio Trashorras

Fotogramas

...[Uberto Pasolini's] approach, both creative and industrial, breaks away from the commercialism and spectacularity that audiences outside of high-end cinephiles would expect from a production with a star-studded cast. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Aug 25, 2025

Full Review

Luis Martínez

El Mundo (Spain)

Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche dignify a rereading of the classic that is as faithful and free as it is pressing and somewhat tiresome. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Aug 22, 2025

Full Review

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Lizzie

Loved it. Roofing story of myth, made modern onscreen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

Full Review

Chase

Strong flick. Could’ve benefited from being slightly shorter.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/24/24

Full Review

k

Slow-burn, humanizing story that remained true to the original work while not getting bogged down in the heroic/mythical aspects of the epic. Incredible acting, beautiful filming. Slow pace, but kept you at the edge of your seat the entire time. It felt so real. This is how the story should be done

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

Full Review

Daniel M

Another Oscar Contender for "Best Pitcher", "Best Actor, & Actress",Best Screen Play"!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/18/24

Full Review

kevin l

It was a slow movie. very basic story line

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

Full Review

Wendy

Such a good movie. not getting nearly enough hype. Great acting! Great retelling of a story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

Full Review

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Uberto Pasolini

Director

Ralph Fiennes

Odysseus

Juliette Binoche

Penelope

Charlie Plummer

Telemachus

Marwan Kenzari

Antinous

Claudio Santamaria

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The Return: Featurette - Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche

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The Return: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After 20 years away, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The King has returned from the Trojan War, but much has changed in his kingdom. His beloved wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is a prisoner in her own home, hounded by suitors vying to be king. Their son Telemachus faces death at the hands of these suitors, who see him as merely an obstacle to their pursuit of the kingdom. Odysseus has also changed--scarred by his experience of the Trojan war, he is no longer the mighty warrior from years past--but he must rediscover his strength in order to win back all that he has lost.

Director: Uberto Pasolini
Producer: Uberto Pasolini, James Clayton, Roberto Sessa, Giorgos Karnavas, Konstantinos Kontovravkis, Stéphane Moatti, Romain Le Grand, Vivien Aslanian, Marco Pacchioni
Screenwriter: John Collee, Edward Bond, Uberto Pasolini
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Production Co: Redwave Films
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language|Graphic Nudity|Violence)
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2024, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 27, 2024
Runtime: 1h 56m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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