87
Metascore
37 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Los Angeles TimesCarlos AguilarLos Angeles TimesCarlos AguilarA staggering masterwork that reveals itself unhurriedly, one permutation at a time, Chou’s third feature is perhaps the only film this year in which every single scene and every line of dialogue within them feel absolutely indispensable. The richness in every detail, and their unexpected ramifications over time, make for a one-of-a-kind character study.
- 100The New York TimesAmy NicholsonThe New York TimesAmy NicholsonReturn to Seoul is a startling and uneasy wonder, a film that feels like a beautiful sketch of a tornado headed directly toward your house.
- 91IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichIt’s the rare movie that can drop a long-take dance sequence into the middle of a pressing conversation without seeming the least bit mannered or aloof; the rare movie that only feels more honest as a result of its most flamboyant choices, and only makes its heroine more empathetic as a result of how she pushes other people away.
- 91ColliderRoss BonaimeColliderRoss BonaimeReturn to Seoul is a powerful and quietly staggering work, and one of the most engrossing films of the year.
- 85Paste MagazinePaste MagazineThough I missed the larger context of Freddie’s life, Return to Seoul’s commitment to staying in the moment creates an engrossing cinematic experience, an inextricable character portrait both intimate and fathomless.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThat the story of someone so off-putting climaxes in a moment as profound and moving as the penultimate scene of Return to Seoul speaks to the subtle power of writer-director Davy Chou’s storytelling and the portrayal by Park Ji-Min, a visual artist making a strong impression in her first screen role.
- 80VarietyJessica KiangVarietyJessica KiangWhile Chou’s elliptical screenplay gently explodes many preconceived assumptions about the effects of adoption on adoptees, it is too clear-sighted to ignore the fact that whether biology affects identity or not, the mere possibility that such a link exists could exert a powerful attraction on a searching spirit not quite sure what it is searching for.
- 75Slant MagazineChris BarsantiSlant MagazineChris BarsantiDavy Chou’s Return to Seoul quickly blooms as a study in contrasts, sublimely juxtaposing character and culture.
- 70SlashfilmHoai-Tran BuiSlashfilmHoai-Tran BuiThe search for one's identity is never an easy one. "Return to Seoul" understands that, and allows us to live in — and finally, accept — that uncertainty.