Rent Ticket to Paradise on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Ol Parker & Daniel Pipski (written by)
Directed by: Ol Parker
Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made twenty-five years ago.
Verdict
It's a light, feel good movie that checks all of the boxes in that genre. It's predictable, and the movie certainly relies heavily on the fact it stars Clooney and Roberts. They are both very charismatic, and almost make this worth watching. If you want something easy that doesn't requirement much attention, this would be it, but that's also why I don't care for it.
Skip it.
Review
This opens with an improbably scene-spanning tale of how David (George Clooney) and Georgia (Julia Roberts) met, married, and divorced. They're telling friends for no reason and they both remember it differently. It's a cute introduction that reveals the deep rift between them. They're attending their daughter Lily's (Kaitlyn Dever) college graduation, bickering the entire time. It's silly and fun as they can't stand being seated next to each other.
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| George Clooney, Julia Roberts play David, Georgia |
All of this sets the scene for Lily's graduation trip to Bali. Lily is nervous about the future. College is over, and now she faces the real world. She meets Gede (Maxime Bouttier) and decides to marry him and stay in Bali permanently. Who wouldn't want to say on a tropical island permanently? This is where David and Georgia must cast aside their differences to save their daughter.
Of course David and Georgia somehow manage to end up next to each other on the plane that Georgia's boyfriend is flying. This is a comedy, and the extreme coincidences are understandable and a genre staple. This movie's foundation is unbelievable situations. It also relies heavily on casting Clooney and Roberts.
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| Kaitlyn Dever, Maxime Bouttier play Lily, Gede |
While David and Georgia tell their daughter they are happy for her, they secretly try to sabotage the wedding. They want Lily to realize this is a mistake, knowing if they talk to her she will stubbornly refuse to see their point of view. It's a trope upon which many movies are built, and this leads to many comical scenes. This is predictable. I don't fault the movie for this. It's clear that's what this is from the description.
Not only do David and Georgia have to hide their agenda from Lily, but Georgia's boyfriend Paul surprises her with a visit. She hates surprises, a fact the movie never forgets. The best scenes are Clooney and Roberts chewing the scenery, when they're flying to Bali and when they play their daughter and potential son-in-law in beer pong. Of course, we knew their plan would be revealed eventually as they try their best to hide it. Everyone is forced to confront their decisions. David and Georgia reflect on their failed marriage, which you probably saw that coming a few minutes into the movie.
The script isn't bad, it's just clear it is following the formula for a movie like this. That's going to entertain many people, but if you want something deep, different, or indie this isn't it. I enjoyed seeing Clooney and Roberts, and their scenes together are certainly worth watching on Youtube.
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