Ticket to Paradise
Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Sean Lynch, Billie Lourd, Maxime Bouttier, Charles Allen
Directed by: Ol Parker
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An angry divorced (George Clooney, Julia Roberts) couple are forced to travel to Bali to stop their daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) from marrying a man (Maxime Bouttier) she just met.

Review:
Tim: I'm certainly not going to suggest Ticket to Paradise is a good movie- it isn't. However, there's a certain throwback charm to this kind of movie-star forward romantic comedy. It's a harmless film, predictable, yet it has moments that are enjoyable. I wouldn't say I ever disliked the movie- but it's flaws are all on display. It's a decent film in the end.

One issue I had with the film is that it's all so utterly predictable. I know there's a market for these safe, sterile movies. I just wish there had been a little out of the ordinary. We know from the very beginning, every note, every move- it's all so obvious. This movie is not interested in challenging us in any way, or subverting expectations. This isn't a death sentence for the film, but when you combine its total expectedness with too many forced scenes and unlikely dialogue, it ends up feeling like less than a full effort. No one involved in this movie seems to have overly high expectations. It's a lightweight, forgettable film, pure surface-level entertainment. Again, this isn't fatal, but it's noteworthy.

The one aspect of this film that gets a nice boost is that the cast is solid. There's genuine excitement about seeing George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunited after many years. These two have obvious chemistry, due to their history of working together. The movie certainly taps into the Ocean's franchise nostalgia with their duo. I had fun watching them together, although, to be frank, their performances don't always work. Clooney and Roberts have built a career on being likable, and they struggle in the early scenes to try and evoke hatred for each other. They still seem thrilled to be working together, and their performances early in the film feel forced and a bit silly. Some of the dialogue doesn't help them, but I wish they were able to bring more of a realistic edge into their work. It's very, very difficult to believe these two "hate" each other. As the film progresses and their relationship (very obviously) changes, they slip into more comfortable territory and their performances improve. I will say that it was still quite enjoyable to watch two stars like Clooney and Roberts reunite for a film like this. It does seem like they signed on primarily to film in a beautiful location, but I wouldn't say they phoned in their performances. Even at not quite their best, their performances are fairly good.

One of the highlights of the film is Kaitlyn Dever. I love that she signed onto this role and got to work with Clooney and Roberts. I think Dever is a very talented actress and I have high hopes for her career. There's something very down-to-Earth about her- she brings this naturalness to her performances, while coming across as intelligent. She brings real depth to her characters. This is a lightweight role, but Dever throws herself into it. It felt like she recognized the opportunity before her and she brings her best stuff. She's every bit as good as Clooney and Roberts, and potentially, even stronger. I thought Billie Lourd added a great supporting performance. While the story sort of forgets about her as the film progresses, she was over-the-top and humorous and added great comedy to the movie. Maxime Bouttier was surprisingly effective- he really endears himself to the audience and you feel like he's a great match for Dever. I thought he worked really well in the role. Sean Lynch is a bit too unrestrained in his performance at times, but he's obviously just playing it all for laughs. As a whole, the cast is better than you might expect and a major reason to watch this film.

The locations are stunning for the film- although the movie wasn't filmed in Bali, it still offers up a gorgeous setting that feels so peaceful and serene. This gives our characters much to work with, and while the film isn't exactly hilarious, there are some entertaining sequences throughout. I don't think Ol Parker is an especially gifted director- he has obvious limitations and not much depth- but he's able to deliver a mildly entertaining film that never sinks too low.

As I think about Ticket to Paradise, it's both better and worse than I expected. The trailer, everything I saw about it looked like it could have been pretty bland. There's a tad more to the story and characters than you first expect. I overall enjoyed more of the movie than I expected, but I was continuously struck by how lightweight and safe everything in the film appeared. The story doesn't always focus on being realistic, and the ending felt too convenient and comfortable. That being said, I smiled at various points and I did genuinely enjoy watching the cast in these roles. So, Parker at least delivers a decent film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Ocean's Eleven, Booksmart, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again