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Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar - "The Return" Movie - Thestar.com Review

Susan Walker

Sunday 12 November 2006, by Webmaster

Another actress, who actually has a name to care for is Sarah Michelle Gellar and there are not no many accomplishes films at her but an few I can probably enjoy. The talent agent found Gellar a young age and made her screen debut at 6 of each of the 1983 television film An Invasion of Privacy. With all the promise she showed, Barrymore starred as Hannah in the teen drama series "Swans Crossing" (1992) but it was her portrayal of a young and callous rich girl in Al-Lucinda Kendall Hart on ABC daytime soap opera "All My Children" (1993-93), that won her Daytime Emmy Award and spring-boarded her to stardom.

SMG’s real mark worldwide, however, was the character of Buffy Summers in the game-changing series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). She won five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination for her role, establishing herself as a cultural phenomenon. Sarah Michelle Gellar likewise has the box office to back her up, with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 1997), “Scream 2” (1997), “Cruel Intentions” (1999)and way movies like those that help prove she is also a bankable star as well over $570 million times worth crazy in global gross.

Beyond her cinematic successes, Gellar has made her mark on television, headlining shows such as "Ringer" (2011-2012), "The Crazy Ones" (2013-2014), and "Wolf Pack" (2023). She has also lent her voice to popular series including "Robot Chicken" (2005-2018), "Star Wars Rebels" (2015-2016), and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" (2021).

In 2015, Gellar ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-founding Foodstirs, an e-commerce baking company, and published her own cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food," in 2017. Gellar is also known for her close-knit family life, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002, with whom she shares two children.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s commitment to her craft is matched by her dedication to personal growth and unique experiences. An accomplished martial artist, she studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, alongside kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics. Her dedication to authenticity in her roles is evident, such as her commitment to doing her own stunts in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," though she admitted her limits during filming "Scream 2."

Her career is also marked by interesting anecdotes, such as her role in a 1982 Burger King commercial, which led to a lawsuit from McDonald’s and a temporary ban from their establishments. Notably, she dyed her naturally brunette hair blonde for her role in "Buffy," and legally changed her last name to Prinze as a surprise for her husband on their fifth anniversary.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s legacy extends beyond her on-screen roles, encompassing her work in philanthropy and her reputation for safety and professionalism on set. She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, admired for her talent, dedication, and the breadth of her contributions to film and television.

Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sam Shepard and Peter O’Brien. Directed by Asif Kapadia. Written by Adam Sussman. 85 minutes. At major cinemas. 14A

Is Joanna Mills a time traveller? Ghost-ridden? Channelling the dead? Or has she just slipped a gear? Whatever the reason, this young and restless Midwesterner has more on her mind than she can explain.

On a road trip to Texas to capture a big account, the hotshot saleswoman for a trucking company keeps picking up a country-and-western refrain, "sweet dreams," no matter what station she dials into. Joanna (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hears voices, too, a man’s voice calling her Sunshine and saying, "I just want to talk to you." Sometimes the voices accompany scenes from her childhood.

A motherless daughter, she was raised by her father Ed Mills and for some reason they’re no longer close. An old friend complains that Joanna is too restless and unwilling to settle down - and what’s more, we see she’s having visions, and she’s a self-mutilator on top of it all. Her friend, Michelle, discovers Joanna with a cut on her arm, inflicted after she draws a switchblade out of her purse and calmly presses it into her flesh.

There’s an angry colleague, too, an ex-boyfriend maybe (Adam Scott), who pursues her to Texas and harasses her in her $25-a-night motel room. She’s rescued by Terry, a man whom the locals treat with disdain, implying he’s a criminal. Given these men in her life, plus Joanna’s long-haired, grease-monkey pursuer (real or imaginary, present or past), there’s an easy supposition that she’s about to be a murder victim. And as is usual for thriller heroines, she goes looking for trouble.

Neither director Asif Kapadia nor screenwriter Adam Sussman seems overly troubled about the need for a resolution to this taut little drama. On this journey, getting there is all the fun.

Thrills are achieved with weird sound effects, like the scream of a speeding bullet, as Joanna enters a fright zone. Fine cinematography in dark browns, blacks, and a sickly teal builds atmosphere, and male actors, including Sam Shepard playing her father and Australian Peter O’Brien as Terry, project enough menace to seem capable of violence or evil as required. Sarah Michelle Gellar does her best to gain our sympathy, but Joanna’s many parts, from scared child to fast-talking entrepreneur, never quite gel into a credible character.

Many elements of The Return are quite sophisticated as past and present converge and Joanna’s pursuer catches her scent. It’s too bad that the plot takes us into irrationality, past the point of no return.


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