By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
George Clooney and Julia Roberts are as charismatic as ever in “Ticket to Paradise,” a romantic comedy that hits all the right notes. This marks the 5th film the veteran actors have co-starred together, and their 22-year friendship that began with “Ocean’s Eleven” materializes in two performances completely in “lock-step” with each other.
Georgia (Julia Roberts) and David (George Clooney) are a divorced couple who can’t stand the sight of each other and don’t hesitate to amusingly point out each other’s flaws on those rare occasions they reunite for their daughter. When Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) informs her bitter parents of her intention to marry Gede (Maxime Bouttier), a seaweed farmer in Bali she just met, Georgia and David agree to set aside their differences and fly to Bali for a common purpose, to prevent their daughter from making the same mistake they did.
Ol Parker writes and directs this rom-com, and his lack of experience was initially concerning with “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” being the highlight of his directorial credits. While he does follow the rom-com formula to a tee, he executes it very well, resulting in a well-rounded, heartfelt romantic film with the right amount of laughs at the right times. Parker achieves continuity with the storytelling, incorporating smooth transitions that heighten the flow and pace of the film. Not to mention, he allows his two stars to work their magic.
Julia Roberts is the queen of romantic comedies, having starred in three of the best rom coms of all time, “Pretty Woman,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and “Notting Hill.” She’s been on a four-year hiatus, but hasn’t lost a step, expertly portraying the bitter ex-wife in a new relationship with a much younger, French pilot who obsessively dotes on her. As the film progresses, Roberts does a beautiful job of showing a gradually increasing internal dilemma as she spends more time with Clooney’s character and reminiscing of the good times they shared. Her reactions always feel genuine and her on-screen chemistry with Clooney is undeniable.
George Clooney once said he would never do any more romantic comedies after “One Fine Day,” which released in 1996, and this is his first rom-com since then. Externally he shows himself as an overprotective father hatching schemes to sabotage his daughter’s relationship, but underneath, his portrayal of the bitter ex-husband with unresolved feelings about the past provides juicy depth to his character. Clooney’s comedic timing is smooth and natural. He even finds a way to comically take a shot at himself while taking a jab at Julia’s character when he comments about having an age-appropriate date (Clooney’s wife Amal is seventeen years younger than him). As his character evolves and flaws become exposed, Clooney turns on that humble quality, quickly endearing him to the audience.
Considered to be an emerging young actress after her performance in “Booksmart,” Kaitlyn Dever offers up a performance that lacks substance. Her portrayal of a daughter who grew up in a broken household and falls in love with the first guy she sees on her post-college graduation trip is one dimensional and unconvincing. It doesn’t help that her romantic counterpart is Maxime Bouttier, an Indonesian actor making his Hollywood debut. He was okay but supplied no believable chemistry to make the sudden romance between the two conceivable. Fortunately, most of the attention is smartly placed on the story dynamic between Roberts and Clooney, preventing the audience from feeling overly invested in the young couple.
Yes, “Ticket to Paradise” is formulaic and incredibly predictable, but it is a feel-good date movie that features two veteran Oscar winners still very much at the top of their game. In a month filled with disappointments, this movie is an enjoyable reprieve.
This movie earns:
