Ticket to Paradise
Director: Ol Parker
Writer: Ol Parker, Daniel Pipski
Starring: Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Katelin Dever, Maxime Bouttier, Billie Lourd, Lucas Bravo
Reason for watching: New release with the rom-com Queen Julia and the charm King George
Number of times I’ve watched it: first-time viewing
***
Since 2016, George Clooney has been in two movies, one of which was a $100 million Netflix original and the other one is today’s movie to review, Ticket to Paradise. Apparently, he directed the Netflix movie and this nice movie about a bar with Ben Affleck and the annoying version of Cyclops. But the long and short of it is that the dude has been out of biz a little bit. He was married recently and has young children so that makes sense for him to have taken a step back. (Also he’s stupid rich now from selling tequila. So that probably took a bunch of his time.) On a similar note, Julia Roberts’ last couple of movies came out in 2017 and 2018. And one of those was a Smurfs movie. Her children are in their teenage years at this point as well so she has also been busy. So it makes sense for her to have been busy. But is the magic gone from them? No. They are both talented and capable. Ticket to Paradise proves that.
Georgia (Roberts) and David Cotton (Clooney) had a short and hasty marriage that ended almost two decades ago. However, their daughter Lily (Katelin Dever) is getting married to Gede (Maxime Bouttier), who just met on a trip to Bali. While Georgia and David cannot stand each other, they are united in protecting their daughter from making the same mistake they did. So when they make a trip out for the wedding they are set on breaking them up. Shenanigans and hijinks ensue as the ex-couple do their upmost to get the wedding called off.
Again Roberts and Clooney have an incredible amount of charm between the two of them. Their natural talent shines through on a pretty basic script. They get to make fun of each other and tell jokes about the situation they are in. Both also are allowed to show off a more sensitive side as those concerned parents. It is evident that both care about Lily and want what is best for her, but they are stunted by their own trauma together. It allows for Roberts and Clooney to flex those acting muscles a little bit.
Of the rest of the cast, they mostly have little to do. Dever seems poorly used for the previous star of titles like Booksmart and Unbelievable. Her character exists as basically a story object for her parents, giving her no areas agency of her own. As Gede Maxime does capture the sense of anxiety about marrying into your future wife’s family. His own family has some occasionally funny dialogue here and there but it feels more exploitative than explorative. The one big bright spot of the supporting characters is Billie Lourd, daughter of Carrie Fisher, as Wren, Lily’s best friend. She is the quirky and funny character who rarely takes anything seriously and cracks wise constantly. Given that she is set against such iconic talents in Roberts and Clooney who have a great gravity that pull the camera to them, she has to make every moment she has on screen count.
Speaking of the screen, one of the perks of your movie being set in a paradise like Bali is the number of great shots you can have. This could easily have been an ad for their tourism board. The picturesque water, golden sand beaches, colorful sunsets. Every scene has the backdrop of honeymoon.
Critically, it is not much of a plot in my opinion. You know right away where it’s going and how it will end. Parents need to learn about their kids and reconnect with each other. Thematically it is about as deep as a kiddy pool. But that does not mean you can’t have fun in the kiddy pool. It’s a good break from reality for two hours. Sit back, relax and enjoy it.
7/10
Until I see another one