Product Description

Studio: Repnet Llc Release Date: 02/26/2008

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30726 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-11-13
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Review
"Emotionally Strong." --Aaron D. Hoag --Entertainment Insiders

Review
"Director Rocky Costanzo counters the tabloid sensationalism of the material with an austere look." --Ted Shen --Chicago Reader

Review
"A distinctive, thought-provoking coming-of-age film." --Jason Clarke --MOVIE TIMES

Customer Reviews

Small Movie, Big Topic
"Return to Innocence"

Small Movie, Big Topic

Amos Lassen

"Return to Innocence" is a small film about a very serious problem, child abuse. It is filmed from the point of view of its main character, Tommy Jackson (Andrew Martin) and tells of a misguided youth growing up in a youth shelter. Glen Erskine (Richard Meese) is director and chief of New Horizons, a counseling center for abused boys. He is a child psychologist with an international reputation and impeccable credentials. Tommy Riley, on the otter hand is a victim of emotional, physical and sexual abuse since he was an infant. He is taken into custody by the Department of Social Services and placed at New Horizons after his mother is arrested for making and selling pornographic videos of him and selling them on the internet. While at New Horizons it seems that his life is finally coming together until it is discovered that he is having an intimate affair with one of his counselors. He strikes back at the man he believes is responsible for having his relationship destroyed--Glen Erskine. This sets the stage for a very dark and disturbing story of commitment and love, betrayal and forgiveness and redemption as well as an in depth look at the agendas and processes which are involved in prosecuting a case of child abuse.
The movie looks and plays like a documentary but it is the performances that make this movie more than just another look at child abuse. However the movie does not answer the most urgent question that that it raises--is a sexual relationship between a boy and an adult always considered molestation and abuse and does it lead to negative effects on the boy? Is there really a difference between sexual predators and men who love boys? The audience is left to make this decision if they can consider it objectively. Glen Erskine embodies a devotion and a passion--he loves his boys and they, likewise, love him. Even without answering these questions, the movie has brought these issue to the fore and has dared to go where others have not. The topic of age of consent is one of the most complex in society. It depends on maturity, beliefs and backgrounds. The movie will not only blow you away, it will make you think

Return To Innocence
"Return To Innocence" is a low-budget, black and white, independent feature focusing on a very provacative subject: sexual child abuse. Despite the boy in the bed on the DVD box cover, the film is not exploitative or sensational. It deals with the exlposive subject with care and understanding, not only for the characters, whose story it tells, but the young actors asked to portray the victim(s). It's a bit talky at times, almost more court-room drama than anything else, but a compelling drama overall. This is the kind low-budget movie and raw, provacative story that rarely makes it to theaters, so it is pretty courageous for the writer, producer, director to have made the movie in the first place, and then to have released it (many years after it was finished) on DVD. It is certainly worth finding and watching. I congratulate the actors and all the production people for their talent and their effort.

Good Drama
Return to Innocence is a film produced and directed entirely from the OC (Orange County) with a low budget, in black and white, in 2001, but was released recently (May 2007.). It's director Rocky Costanzo tries to portray one of those controversial and taboo topics, child molestation and sexual abuse.

The main two characters, Dr. Glen Erskine, is a PH.D. in clinical psychology, specializing in the area of man and boy relationships, and pedophiles. He is an expert, and published extensively, about whether a man can have a loving and caring relationship with a boy, raising eyebrows and causing him to be suspicious of pedophile. Dr. Erskine is a member of the New Horizons, a home that houses troubled teens awarded to them by the court.

Tommy, (Andrew Martin), is a troubled teen who has been abused since early life (his mother.) He has consensual sex with one of Dr. Erskin counselor (Tommy's counselor.) After learning of this, Dr. Erskin confronts the counselor and he dies of a suicidal attempt. Tommy becomes very upset, and in his anger he accuses Dr. Erskin of molesting him. Because of circumstantial events between Dr. Erskin and Tommy as part of the treatment, he looks real bad in the eyes of the law.

There is a trial of Dr. Erskin and he is defended by a long time friend (since he is a boy) Jim (Steve De Forest). Jim proves that his friend Glen is not guilty. At the end, Tommy breaks down and admits that he had fabricated the whole thing.

Return to Innocence is a term used in which even if someone is absolved from a child molestation crime, that person still labeled and branded for the rest of their life, meaning can not return to innocence. Dr. Esrkin return to his practice at New Horizons (he was suspended during the trial.) Tommy is placed in a loving foster home.

Return to Innocence is a good drama, the actors are admirable and realistic in their acting. The issues are troubled and controversial, but a sadness of reality, of sick and disturbing minds. It is a low budget movie with no big movie fanfare. There is some special features of a reunion of all the main characters in May 2007.