Review by James Lindorf
Academy Award winners George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite on the big screen for the fifth time in Universal Pictures’ latest “Ticket to Paradise.” The charismatic new romantic comedy examines the three keys to finding lifelong love, even if it takes a second chance. “Ticket to Paradise” was directed by Ol Parker (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) from his script with Daniel Pipski.
Clooney and Roberts play David and Georgia Cotton, the bitterly divorced parents of Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), a recent law school grad. With just a couple of weeks between graduation and starting a position at a prestigious law firm Lily and her best friend, Wren (Billie Lourd), set off on a trip to Bali. What is already the best vacation of their lives becomes life-altering when the pair are mistakenly left behind while snorkeling. Luckily their fears are quickly calmed when a local seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier) comes to their rescue. For Lily, it is not just salvation from a pruney death but love at first sight. To the shock of her parents, the whirlwind romance has the new couple preparing for their wedding just five weeks later. The upcoming wedding will do what nothing has been able to do for the last 20 years, get Georgia and David to work together. Between bouts of bickering, they plot and scheme ways to sabotage the nuptials and take their daughter home. But their evil plans have an unintended consequence of drawing them closer and reminding them what it is like to be young and in love.
“Ticket to Paradise” is precisely what you think it is. If you have seen a trailer or read the synopsis and seen a romcom or two in your life, you know exactly what will happen and when. The biggest surprise associated with the production is that it was filmed in Australia and not Bali. This could explain why some of the beautiful scenery seems to be marred by CGI. They must have been inserting elements you can only see in Bali. It was a waste of money. It did nothing to enhance the story being told, and no one who knows Bali would be suddenly convinced that is where all of these events are taking place. They should have donated the money to a local cause, increased salaries, or paid to film in Bali. All would have been better uses of that money.
When you know everything a film will throw your way, it is up to the cast to keep audiences entertained. Luckily there are not many people in Hollywood with more charisma than Clooney and Roberts, who almost do enough to carry the film on their own. Luckily the other four members of the cast support them well and more than hold their weight. Maxime Bouttier is new to me but is terrific as Lily’s dream man. He is the perfect combination of good looks, intelligence, and family man to make Lily swoon and stand up against her parents’ mischievous deeds.
Lily worked so hard in school that it caused Billie Lourd’s Wren to burn out. Unsure of what she wants to do with her life outside of enjoying it. Wren would be the ultimate bad influence if she weren’t so clearly dedicated to Lily and their friendship. Lourd doesn’t have much screen time, and nothing she does truly impacts either of the love stories, but she is there to stand in for the audience. We witness characters pouring their heart out to her; without judgment, she offers them her best advice or asks thoughtful questions.
Kaitlyn Dever has had a great career since breaking into the mainstream at 15 on “Last Man Standing” with Tim Allen. Since then, she has starred in “Unbelievable,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Dopesick,” and “Booksmart.” She brings the warmth, charm, and biting remarks that make you believe she could be the offspring of Clooney and Roberts.
The fourth main supporting character is Paul, played by French actor Lucas Bravo (Emily in Paris). Paul is the latest in a string of younger lovers for Georgia as she tries to recapture the youth misspent on David. His character is all heart and lovingly obsessed with Georgia. He is the silliest character in the film and does not pose a credible option when weighed against David. Suppose he had been a more well-rounded character. In that case, we might sympathize with him when Georgia makes the obvious choice in the climax. Or maybe we could even believe that she was making a mistake, but as currently written, they are never believable as a couple anywhere but inside the bedroom.
If you are looking for a film to challenge you or to present a story in a way you’ve never seen it done before, then you should check out “Bros.” If you want to laugh and smile as a charming cast headlined by two of Hollywood’s biggest names entertains you for 104 minutes. In that case, you should buy your ticket for “Ticket to Paradise” today. If you live in the northern hemisphere, where many people will soon experience snowfall, this light-hearted tropical comedy may be the perfect way to battle the cold weather blues. “Ticket to Paradise” is a 4 out of 5 in my books for doing what it sets out to do and doing it well.
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts
Directed by: Ol Parker
Screenplay by: Ol Parker, Daniel Pipski
Produced by: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Sarah Harvey, Deborah Balderstone, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Julia Roberts, Lisa Roberts Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill
