Blu-ray Review: Return To Sender

Return To Sender
Director: Fouad Mikati
Cast: Rosemund Pike, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick Nolte
Studio: RLJ Entertainment
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Retail: $12.99 (Best Buy Price)
Running Time: 95 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Best Buy

Review:

Now available to own on DVD & Blu-ray (only at Best Buy) is the thriller Return To Sender. Directed by Fouad Mikati, the film stars Rosemund Pike (Gone Girl), Nick Nolte, Shiloh Fernandez and Camryn Manheim. There are no extras or special features on the Blu-ray.

Return To Sender centers on a dedicated nurse Miranda Wells (played by Rosemund Pike) living in small town. She just finished her training to become a surgical nurse and she plans on buying a new house. For Miranda, her life was perfect, but her friends believe otherwise and they set her up on a blind date.

The unthinkable happens when a stranger, William Finn (played by Shiloh Fernandez), shows up at Miranda's doorsteps. She mistakes him for her blind date and lets him into her home, which turns out to the be the worst mistake of her life as Finn brutally assaults her. The real blind date eventually arrives, finds Miranda and call 911. Finn is quickly captured by the authorities and locked behind bars.

With her father (played by Nick Nolte) by her side, Miranda somewhat recovers from the attack and tries to pick up her life where she left off, but things aren't too simple. Due to the fact that the crime occurred in her home, selling her house becomes a major problem. Even worse, her dream of being a surgical nurse might come true as she her hands now shake when holding a scalpel.

Miranda's only way of treatment is writing to her rapist. At first, her letters are returned to her unopened, but eventually Finn replies back. She visits him in prison and a friendship blossoms, well, at least it does from Finn's point-of-view. After Finn is released, he visits Miranda at her house; thinking that he can win her heart by doing simple repairs around her house, but she has other plans - revenge.

Ever since the I Spit On Your Grave was released in 1978, there have been many other rape and revenge thrillers, including the remake of of the cult-classic, followed by two sequels (one is coming out this year). I'm not a fan of these types of movies; nevertheless, I do like actress Rosemund Pike, so I thought I would give Return To Sender a try on Blu-ray. Pike gives a creepily good performance in par with what she did in Gone Girl, but that is about all the film has going for it. While the first half of the film is pretty decent, the last half falls apart; feeling more like a cheap made-for-Lifetime movie. Overall, Return To Sender is an average thriller with a great performance from Rosemund Pike.