Return (2011)

Return: Directed by Liza Johnson. With Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Talia Balsam. A soldier returns to her family, friends, and old job after a tour of duty, though she finds herself struggling to find her place in her everyday life.

“Return is ultimately about the inner turmoil that a woman has on her return from her tour of duty. Itu0026#39;s nothing incredibly original, but itu0026#39;s written and directed with enough sensibility and delicacy, and a woman being at the front and center may be something different for viewers. It works because itu0026#39;s never emotionally contrived and it never comes off as anything other than heartfelt and personal. What makes this as effective as it was were the performances. The entire supporting cast does some really solid work, but the praise belongs to Linda Cardellini, who gives a wonderfully understated and subtle performance. Itu0026#39;s in her silent moments that she resonates the most with the audience, and she absolutely deserves a lot more mentions. Sheu0026#39;s either on par or better than several of the actresses in contention for awards. This is highly recommended because it deserves to put Cardellini on the spotlight, and I can only hope this gets seen enough in the upcoming months and as a result it gives her more career opportunities.”