Lindsey Lowson / 19 May 2025 / Categories: Movie and TV Shows, Movie

Return To Sender A film no one liked

The reviews were terrible I watched it any way

This film got slated online, I don’t think I’ve seen a 14% rating on Rotton Tomatoes ever and even though it’s not really my type of film, small town hospital drama, ER meets Fargo, Rosamund Pike is an acting talent all on her own, I’m a massive fan from her hilarious portrayal of Helen in An Education to her stellar performance of disturbed Amy in Gone Girl and more recently crazy upper class Elspeth Catton in Saltburn, we decided to give Return to Sender a go even though the setting and context of the film didn’t really appeal, and like I said the reviews were collectively terrible. It was also FREE on Amazon prime, something getting rarer than a canary diamond to find on the pay per view film platform.

I probably wouldn’t watch it again; once you know what’s happening there’s no need, although it has to be said with everything stacked against it and other audience members in our house suggesting we switch off early in the film, the acting of Rosamund Pike who pretty much carries the whole film, so good, we stayed with it right to the bitter end.

It’s an uncomfortable watch at times but that’s because of the difficult subject matter. I think people struggle with themes of rape and sexual violence against women on screen in a completely different way to say brutality and violence of men on men which is normalised in society and much more acceptable.

The film Return to Sender directed by Fouad Mikati challenges these societal norms and idiosyncrasies which in turn makes movie lovers unable to question their own thinking about the dark issues that lay dormant but lurking in all of us, ready to emerge at any moment making us act in ways we’d never imagine possible.

I can’t say I loved the film as it is certainly a harrowing watch throughout dancing a fine line between public service and doing good, the nursing profession creates the backdrop for our stereotypical thinking about how nurses (or anyone really) in society is deep down and how we expect those people to conform to certain norms. When the behaviour of say a real life killer Lucy Letby hits the headlines we struggle with this too.

I think this is why the movie was received so poorly because the acting from Pike, co star Nick Nolte as her father and Shiloh Fernandez as William Finn, her attacker, is actually bloody brilliant, gripping and intense.

When the movie finished I was in complete shock. I was moved, deeply moved by this film and I will certainly never forget it.

My first words when it ended were “She reminds me of Hannibal Lecter” - it’s a fresh take on Kathy Bates epic Annie Wilkes characterization in the 1990 film Misery.

If you think you are ready to go on a major change the way you think about fear and empathy journey, this drama will make you feels things you are perhaps a little to very uncomfortable with yourself depending on how much trauma you have had in your life or perhaps how much therapy.

I have never watched a film in my life before that made me change 180 degree shift and left me feeling really sorry for the perceived “Bad Guy” not really knowing in the end who the actual “Bad Guy” was.

A strange review I know but it’s a strange film and if I told you what actually happens throughout it would spoiler the experience.

It’s one you have to go through yourself.

I’d say because of the levels of violence and extremely disturbing deeply psychological and chilling themes this is one for the adults only.