The Return

Play trailer

2:15

The Return

R

2024

1h 56m

Adventure

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

93 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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

Dec 6

3.5/4

t’s a haunting, primal first feature about two young brothers and the reappearance of their long-absent father.

Go to Full Review

Ben Nicholson

Sight & Sound

Nov 5

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.

Go to Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Apr 15

4/5

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.

Go to Full Review

Mariló Delgado

Espinof

Sep 3

4/5

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]

Go to Full Review

Antonio Trashorras

Fotogramas

Aug 25

3/5

...[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]

Go to Full Review

Luis Martínez

El Mundo (Spain)

Aug 22

3/5

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]

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Lizzie

12/28/2024

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

See more

Chase

12/24/2024

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

See more

k

12/19/2024

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

See more

Daniel M

12/18/2024

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

See more

kevin l

12/17/2024

It was a slow movie. very basic story line

See more

Wendy

12/17/2024

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

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Uberto Pasolini

Director

Ralph Fiennes

Odysseus

Juliette Binoche

Penelope

Charlie Plummer

Telemachus

Marwan Kenzari

Antinous

Claudio Santamaria

Eumeo

In Search of Fellini

100%

74%

In Search of Fellini

Watchlist

TRAILER

for In Search of Fellini

Blood Diamond

64%

90%

Blood Diamond

Watchlist

Shoplifters

99%

92%

Shoplifters

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Shoplifters

Gladiator II

70%

81%

Gladiator II

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Gladiator II

The Northman

90%

64%

The Northman

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Northman

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

13 Must-Watch Films at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival

The Return: Featurette - Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche

1:00

The Return: Trailer 1

2:15

View more videos

View more photos

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 (Language|Graphic Nudity|Some Sexual Content|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)

Most Popular at Home Now