Someone in England really love David
tz...@my-deja.com
it):
Headline: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE - DUCHOVNY MOVIE IS ALL HEART
A touch of magic comes to the screen in the form of Return To Me, a
good old fashioned romantic comedy starring David Duchovny and Minnie
Driver.
Return To Me isn't just a movie where boy meets girl, boy falls in love
with girl boy marries girl - there's also a hearty mix of tragedy,
drama, comedy and rousing animal fun.
The Plot
Architectural Engineer Bob Rueland, played by David Duchovny, is
blissfully happily married to Elizabeth, a primatologist at the
Lincoln Park Zoo, in Chicago. Bob is helping to fulfil one of his
wife's dreams by working on a big gorilla habitat at the Zoo, when
tragedy strikes. Elizabeth is killed in a car accident.
Grace Briggs, played by Minnie Driver, is a waitress working in an
Irish-Italian restaurant in Chicago. She has recently been given a new
lease of life after a heart transplant and fate works its magic on the
unlikely pair when she serves the newly widowed architect with more
than his lunch, in the restaurant, O'Reilly's.
The Players
Return To Me is Chicago-born actress Bonnie Hunt's directorial debut on
a feature film; as well as co-writing the movie she also cast herself
as Grace Briggs' best friend Megan Dayton. Ms Hunt first caught
glimpses of David Duchovny's talent when she acted alongside him in the
hound hit, Beethoven, in 1992. The pair shared a good sense of humour
and used their improvisational skills to build up an hilarious scene
for their sketchy characters in the doggy delight. Bonnie remembered
David's qualities and wasted no time asking him to be in her movie.
It's a real change to see how easily The X-Files star slips into the
character of Bob Rueland. His warmth and sense of comedic timing get a
good outing as do several moments of tenderness which clutch at the
audiences heart-strings as well as his co-stars'. His on-screen
relationship with the charismatic British actress Minnie Driver, Grace
Briggs, is a real joy. Of her co-star she has been quoted as saying:
"Everything about David is sexy, his manner and delivery are so quiet
and slow you're usually not prepared for how hilarious what he's saying
turns out to be."
The movie boasts a fabulous supporting cast, including Robert Loggia,
James Belushi, Carroll O'Connor, David Alan Grier, Eddie Jones, and a
whole lot more.
There are some great scenes played in the restaurant, O'Reilly's, in
which Belushi, Loggia and Grier, as Grace's Irish Grandfather, get a
really good chance to bring life to the joint. Despite using a script
Hunt gave the actors a pretty free reign to improvise during the scenes
which brings a spirited reality to the film. Joley Richardson, who is
currently starring in the British romantic comedy Maybe Baby, plays
Bob's loving wife Elizabeth Rueland.
Production Notes
Chicago: Filming in the director's home town of Chicago proved to be a
real bonus, according to producer, Jennie Lew Tugend. Apparently Bonnie
Hunt is a "favourite child of the city" whose name opened many a door
to the crew. Cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, of My Best Friend's Wedding
fame, headed the creative team all of whom sought "a kind of poetic
realism" to the settings. A few fairytale fairy lights enhance the
romance, as do a few strategically placed rose petals!
The Co-Star: A big star of the movie who virtually stole one scene from
under the nose of David Duchovny, was Kwan the gorilla, who plays
Elizabeth's "student" Sydney. The whole team agreed with the Lincoln
Park Zoo that Kwan would not be specifically trained for his scenes.
Without too much monkeying around David Duchovny had to talk to Kwan
and share his food with him. After several takes Kwan decided he was
sick of David's courgette and threw it down - he wanted some apple
instead! These actors can be sooo demanding!
The Verdict
Return To Me is a bittersweet romance. It isn't just a girls' movie and
even TV Presenter Chris Evans praised the movie for sharing similar
qualities with the hit romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, and it's
stars' chemistry. It isn't a psychoanalytical voyage into grief
therapy, but it does deal with the heart-rending moments with real
truth. It is obviously a labour of love for Bonnie Hunt and she really
has conjured up some magical performances from the cast all, of whom
work well together.
If nothing else it is great to see the sexy David Duchovny wearing a
t-shirt, jeans and most bizarre of all...a smile!
Sarah Phillis.
http://www.sky.com/news/showbizweekly/Story5.htm
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Stamp
<tz...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:8hl53o$kfi$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...