RETURN TO ME --*** -- David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carroll O'Connor, Bonnie Hunt, Robert Loggia, David Allan Grier, James Belushi, Joely Richardson; rated PG (profanity, brief gore); Carmike 12, Cottonwood Mall and Ritz 15 Theaters; Century Theatres 16; Cinemark Jordan Landing Theaters; Gateway 8 Cinemas; Loews Cineplex Midvalley, South Towne Center and Trolley Square Mall Cinemas.
As an actress, Bonnie Hunt has made so-so movies better just by her presence (among them "Beethoven," "Only You" and "Kissing a Fool").Fortunately, her filmmaking debut, "Return to Me," doesn't need rescuing -- from her or anyone else. It's an adorably sweet and gentle romantic comedy that can stand on its own.
That's not to say that Hunt, who also has a supporting role, doesn't add character to the film. Nor is it meant to imply that the rest of the supporting cast (which includes Carroll O'Connor and Robert Loggia) can't hold its own.
But the leads (David Duchovny and Minnie Driver) are so appealing and the tone so appropriately low-key that you might forget this is a modern-day movie, rather than an older one. In fact, you'd have to be a real cynic or a real grump not to root for the union of these two characters.
Bob (Duchovny) is a Chicago architect still mourning the death of his zoologist wife, Liz (Joely Richardson), who was killed in a traffic accident.
Besides being a loving wife, Liz was also an organ donor, and the lucky recipient of her heart is Grace (Driver), a sickly Chicago waitress and would-be artist who receives the transplant in the nick of time.
Grace could also use some help in her personal life, and her friend Megan (Hunt) and her grandfather (O'Connor) are more than willing to provide it -- albeit in a spectacularly unsuccessful fashion.
Meanwhile, Bob's buddy Charlie (David Allan Grier) is also trying to line him up with a new romance, and his efforts inadvertently bring Bob and Grace together.
Grace and Bob meet in her grandfather's restaurant, and there are instant sparks. However, neither knows each other's secret. And when Grace discovers the truth about the identity of her donor, she's afraid that knowledge will scare Bob off.
Things do start a bit slowly here, and this is hardly earth-shattering material. But, as written by Hunt and Don Lake, "Return to Me" is funny, surprisingly emotional stuff, with faint echoes of "Moonstruck" and other, older classics.
Also, as if the witty one-liners and the bright, breezy tone aren't enough to suck you in, Hunt provides yet another good supporting turn. And as a director, Hunt gives O'Connor, Loggia, Grier and James Belushi enough screentime to shine as well.
Their best comic bits, however, are never at the expense of the central romance, a wise decision, given how much chemistry Duchovny and Driver have together.
In fact, this may be Duchovny's best big-screen performance to date -- he really can act, folks -- and Driver, who has been in a slump lately, is at least as appealing here as she was in "An Ideal Husband" and "Grosse Point Blank."
"Return to Me" is rated PG for scattered profanity as well as brief hospital gore. Running time: 113 minutes.