19/48
After 20 years, Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, where he finds his wife held captive by the tyrants who are fighting to become king, and his son facing death at their hands. Odysseus must find his strength again to reclaim his family and everything he has lost. Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche have starred together in a film for the third time. They also worked together in Wuthering Heights (1992) and The English Patient (1996). Penelope: People can find their way to war, but how can they find their way home? Odysseus: For some, war becomes home. The focus is on immersion. The viewer is drawn to the multifaceted pain and suffering of Penelope and Odysseus as they return to Ithaca, and this thesis felt the need to systematically explore the challenges that many soldiers face upon returning from active duty, including PTSD and other health issues. Their previous lives within the family and society, and the memories and pain they endured and created, and the resulting internal change that is irreversible. The Return is powered by a diverse cast to allow the viewer to experience this rollercoaster ride that sees the two main protagonists rise to significant heights, the latter thanks to the unique and special resilience of both Penelope and Odysseus during this difficult time in their lives. And without each other’s support. In fact, the two are kept somewhat apart for much of the build-up, reinforcing the catharsis in the later, more intense, thriller-like portion of the slow-burning film. Fiennes brings his unique style of portraying suffering to this work – a great extension of his wonderful skill from his adjacent portrayals of pain and agony in Spider and The End of the Affair. Binoche is the perfect choice for Penelope, as the viewer is somewhat fooled into thinking that the two will end up together, just as they were close throughout The English Patient, and Pasolini uses this to create additional tension in this work. The memory of the English Patient is alive and well. This is a great and very relevant work that must be experienced!