thinker1691 There are many stories concerning the unlucky people arrested, Incarcerated, Convicted and often executed for crimes against the state. But what if it's an innocent woman awaiting death? In this movie directed by Bille August and written by Neal Purvis was originally called " Convicted ", but changed to " Return to Sender " stars Connie Neilsen as Charlotte Cory, a former nurse, who's being prepared for execution, while reaching out to Frank Nitzche (Aidan Quinn) a man who claims to be a former friend of her father. Unknown to Cory, Frank is not who he claims to be and that secret is discovered by Susan Kennan (Kelly Preston) her attorney. However the discovery is made simultaneously with Nitzche who learns that Cory is protecting someone else. It's a race against time as both of them try to halt the execution before they bring the new evidence to the governor. Although slow to build and the subject matter is difficult to comprehend, the film nevertheless does produce a dramatic atmosphere which lends itself to an escalating climax. Quinn is incredible as the despicable former lawyer, now trying to help uncover the truth. Nielsen demonstrates a wonderful transition from ambivalent nurse to desperate victim who realizes she does care to live. ****

stewball99 Listed on IMDb under the primary title of Return to Sender (2004) by pretty much unknown to me Danish director, Bille August (except for The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones), is about a woman on death row who is going to let herself be executed in order to protect some one else. Excellent performances by Danish stunner, Connie Nielson (the reason I rented the movie) who never looked better than here in understated prison makeup, and Aidan Quinn (as a letters from death row inmates bounty hunter) in a tight script that starts off like it's going to be an evils of capital punishment vehicle, but turns into something else, which I can only call the value of truth without giving too much away.It was only released in the US on DVD last November, but set here and filmed here and in Denmark. There aren't any external reviews in English, and only one review on IMDb that panned it. I'd have gone to see this in the theater. 7+/10.

mfsor Even though the ending was kind of deus ex machina, since anybody could have been brought forward to clear Connie Nielsen, it wasn't obvious, and there was enough tension to think that she might in fact be killed at the end. Connie did a very good job as a hardened person, and a person who had spent a great number of nights on drugs and alcohol. Aidan Quinn was good as the originally uncaring journalist who came to fall in love with her. Kelly Preston did a professional acting job, but she doesn't have any emotional depth to her. The lighting was good. The scenes were properly paced. The interaction between Connie/Aidan gave the story its emotional weight. The stupid cop wasn't necessary, and didn't provide any real relief of tension.

sarastro7 Charlotte Cory (Connie Nielsen) is on death row for the kidnapping and murder of a child - but did she do it? Aidan Quinn plays an ex-defense lawyer who makes money selling the last letters of condemned prisoners to the highest bidder (apparently, such letters fetch tens of thousands of dollars). Because Cory's case is so rare, he sees the chance to make half a million dollars on her last letter. He pretends to be a friend of her father's in order to get close to her, but he ends up becoming emotionally engaged in her situation, and falling in love with her.Return To Sender is a low-key character drama, extremely well-acted, realistic, touching and just generally well-rounded. I was absorbed by it throughout, and can't think of a single thing wrong with it. It keeps the suspense going right until the satisfying end. A great achievement by everyone involved.