Coming Back

In Coming Back, George Hively crafts a poignant narrative around the prodigal figure of John, a young man returning to his insular rural community after a prolonged, self-imposed exile. His reappearance, years after a past indiscretion or youthful folly cast a shadow over his name, acts as a catalyst, forcing dormant resentments and lingering hopes to the surface. The film meticulously charts John’s arduous journey not just back to his familial homestead, but into the fraught emotional landscape of forgiveness and acceptance. It’s a study in the weight of reputation, the stubbornness of memory, and the slow, often painful, process of earning a second chance, particularly through his delicate interactions with his estranged father, the resilient Mary, and the skeptical townsfolk.