A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.
Pam says:
Let’s be honest. When you put George Clooney and Julia Roberts in any movie, you’re going to enjoy it due to the sheer sense of their personalities. And “Ticket to Paradise” proves this theory perfectly. The story is not an inventive one nor is it original in any way, but Roberts’ and Clooney’s antagonistic relationship as Georgia and David, exes with a daughter who is going to suddenly marry a man half-way around the world, makes us laugh and engages us. They must “lock step” together in order to derail the upcoming nuptials, but, of course, things backfire and bring the young couple even closer together and maybe even each other.
After just seeing Kaitlyn Dever in “Rosaline,” it was difficult to watch her portrayal of Lily in such muted tones. Don’t get me wrong. Dever did a fine job as the young graduate (was it law school or was it college…they continuously flipped back and forth with this) who gave up a promising life to stay in Bali after meeting the man of her dreams on vacation. The man, Gede (Maxime Bouttier), a native of the gorgeous tropical island and a seaweed farmer, isn’t exactly what Mom and Dad had in mind for their precious little girl. To add more comic relief to the story, we meet Paul (Lucas Bravo), Georgia’s young French love who adores her to a fault. While all of these situations are quite contrived, there is a sprinkle of authenticity as Gede’s parents are introduced to the Americans. Complete with cultural music and traditions, we swoon at the backdrop and possibilities of living in paradise.
As the name would suggest, this is paradise and the filmmakers take full advantage of its backdrop, although the film, set in Bali was reportedly filmed in Australia. Each and every scene is lavishly and lusciously filled with color and style as the two families celebrate the upcoming union of Gede and Lily. From one corner of the screen to another, it’s a visual feast as we chuckle at Georgia and David’s non-stop bickering.
“Ticket to Paradise” is a fine representation of escapism movie making. While it’s not laugh-out-loud funny, there are plenty of chuckles along the way making it an easy watch. Clooney and Roberts are, not unexpectedly, at ease and appear to be enjoying every moment of this film which, in turn, allows us to do so as well.
2 1/2 stars
Chuck says:
There are no surprises where Ol Parker’s “Ticket to Paradise” is concerned and really, did you think there would be? This rom-com featuring George Clooney and Julie Roberts DOES have the distinction of being one of the few entries in the genre not aimed at twenty or thirty-somethings, which is a plus. And it does give its two stars more than a few opportunities to shine, moments that remind us why they’ve stayed on Hollywood’s A-List for over 30 years. And while there are no startling revelations that turn its plot on its head, there are some surprisingly tender, well-acted moments that stand out in this by-the-numbers production that prevent it from being a complete waste of time.
Clooney and Roberts are David and Georgia, exes who decide they have to put their differences aside in order to prevent their daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) from marrying Gede (Maxime Bouttier), a seaweed farmer she met while vacationing in Bali. With only their disastrous union as a reference point, they’re convinced she’s making a mistake and that they are acting in her best interests. One awkward plane ride and David and Georgia arrive in the sun-kissed paradise their daughter will come home, prepared to sabotage Lily and Gede’s relationship before they can wed.
This simple premise sets up many comedically awkward scenes, most revolving around the clash of cultures David and Georgina must navigate or uncomfortably intimate moments they’re forced to endure. The comedy is never over the top, the material sometimes benefitting from the cast’s subtle approach. Then again, there are times when the film could use the sort of edge and energy Howard Hawks would supply in many of his screwball comedies. Parker is content to rely on the charisma of his two stars and while, in the end that proves to be enough, it’s just barely so.
Still and all, there are some standout moments. David rhapsodizing about how his marriage to Georgia went wrong is one of Clooney’s better scenes, the actor turning off the charm to provide a sense of vulnerability and regret that’s surprisingly effective. Roberts isn’t given a semi-dramatic moment such as this, but she supplies a wonderfully deft comedic touch when her pilot boyfriend Paul (Lucas Bravo, taking the thankless Ralph Bellamy role) proposes to Georgia who struggles to find a tactful way to turn him down.
To be sure, the movie is disposable, yet it proves to be a pleasant enough diversion. Shot in Australia because of COVID-19 restrictions, it will serve as a worthwhile tool for the country’s tourism board when promoting the Whitsunday Islands, which lay off the northern coast. But its Clooney and Roberts that make this all go down easy, their chemistry the vital ingredient to this familiar concoction. No, they won’t make you forget Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant or William Powell and Myrna Loy, but their laidback approach to the rom-com formula makes “Paradise” just enough fun to be worth your time.
3 Stars
