[4] Kelli, returning from her military tour of duty in the Middle East, has high hopes for resuming her old life in her midwestern hometown.

She is unable to provide the attention her children need, she quits her dull factory job, she discovers her husband Mike's (Shannon) infidelity, drinks with her friends, then is stopped by the police while driving under the influence.

"[23] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on twelve critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

[24] The Hollywood Reporter reviewer Todd McCarthy stated, "Return has quiet virtues and the distinction of focusing closely on one particular woman’s difficulty readjusting to being a wife and mother.

"[3] Noting Cardellini's appearance in nearly every scene, the review continued, "she delivers by keeping you interested no matter how mundane the activity Kelli is performing.

[3] He noted Slattery's "amusing change-of-pace role", that Shannon "plays it absolutely straight for once", and credited Anne Etheridge's "mobile cinematography" with maintaining "a watchful air of intimacy.

"[3] Mark Adams (ScreenDaily.com) called the film "thoughtful and gently powerful", "subtle and simply told", noting that it "eschews the usual dramatic cues of the 'soldier back home' story", and called Cardellini's performance "terrific", "generating a real sense of warmth and affection but also a slight unease and distrust in those around her."

"[25] The review in Variety called the film "amiable, stylish, low-key", Cardellini's performance as "wholly credible", and Slattery's portrayal of Bud as a "welcome jolt of energy and humor", though director Johnson "takes audience interest rather too much for granted in the pic's first half.