Ladies and gentlemen, today, we are going to be reviewing a romantic comedy that I got the privilege to see shortly after seeing Black Adam a second time around. Not only that, but it stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd, and a few other people. Who knew that George Clooney, and Julia Roberts would be starring together after being in most, if not all of the Oceans films together? Well, they were probably in some other films in between those, and this film, yes? Well, please let me know either way! That said, let’s talk about the more recent romantic comedy, Ticket To Paradise.
Plot: After two law school graduates by the name of Lily Cotton (Kaitlyn Dever), and Wren Butler (Billie Lourd) make a trip from the US to Bali, Lily falls in love with a seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier). After getting engaged 37 days later, and Lily informs her divorced parents (George Clooney, and Julia Roberts) of their engagement, her parents fly to Bali in an attempt to stop the wedding, and preventing their daughter from making the same mistake as they did with their former marriage. Will they succeed, or will Lily, and Gede still get married in the end?
Well, even though this film may have some cliches here and there, Ticket To Paradise also know how to go fresh with some elements. First of all, it was cool for films like this one to have good messages such as how to not be afraid to change plans in life from time to time. Not only that, but there are also excellent messages about how it’s better to not be controlling of your children. Yes, it is good to set boundaries, and give sound advice. However, this movie does a great job of showing how it’s also better to give situations a chance, particularly when they may not make sense, but could still be good in the long run. Oh, and to top it off, the film does great with showing how, even if one wants to keep certain people from making the same mistakes as they themselves made, you still can’t control them. The characters are also also likable, and mostly, if not fully well developed. That is especially when it comes to the relationships in this film. Lily, and Gede, especially have a relationship that’s believable. Even Clooney as Lily’s father, David, and Julia Roberts as her mom, Georgia, despite the pair being a divorced couple, still have very good chemistry together when they’re onscreen. In some ways, the relationships could potentially feel like those found in say a Hallmark movie, or a Disney film, or something like that. In other ways the relationships can also feel very realistic as well. That reminds me, as you watch this film, I would be curious to see if you would feel if say Ticket To Paradise may have borrowed elements from Disney films like Pocahontas, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, or especially Tarzan, but set in reali life, and with real people. With all that said, that’s what helps a romantic comedy like Ticket To Paradise very unique, and likely even stand out from other movies, be it romantic comedies, or even dramas for that matter. In addition to these, who wouldn’t be excited to see Julia Roberts, and George Clooney back onscreen again? It was also really cool to even see Kaitlyn, and Billie Lourd come back onscreen again after they both were in Book Smart back in 2019. Yes, one of the main differences this time around is that those two characters didn’t play as best friends to each other, while they were in fact best friends this time around. Also speaking of Book Smart, I’m sure quite a few of us can appreciate the fact that Kaitlyn Dever didn’t play a lesbian character this time around like she did in the 2019 film. Praise God! Additionally, Ticket To Paradise excels at showing how cultures in many other nations are different from those of the US. I mean Bali, as portrayed in this film, does well with showing how much simpler life seems to be. After one watches this film, it wouldn’t be surprising if one were to move to Bali afterwards just to enjoy still working, but not allowing that to feel quite as stressful as jobs seem to be for many Americans here in the US. Not to mention that a lot of people in Bali, especially in this film, seemed to really, really care for those around them, you know? Lorne Balfe also has a fun, and upbeat musical score.
Still, there were a couple flaws in this film as well. First of all, there were one, or two characters that felt a little unnecessary, and seemed to sideline the main core of the story. Thankfully, it was only for a few minutes, but still. Also, scenes like the ending, while mostly likable, still felt a little bit like a cop out, and possibly even seemed to reverse some of the good core messages of this film, one or two in particular. Whether the filmmakers may have realized that too late, or not, you got me. Yes, it was possibly nice to see Ticket To Paradise make some potential nods to some Disney animated films from earlier years. Nevertheless, that could feel like a double-edged sword at the same time, you know?
And that concludes my review for Ticket To Paradise. Even if this film could have been tweaked in some areas, Ticket To Paradise is overall a film that is sweet, cute, uplifting, funny, and overall a fun film that is worth one’s time. Yes, there were some scenes that may not have been the best to incorporate in here. Still, Ticket To Paradise is a film that one could enjoy watching once, and hopefully even watch multiple times after that. Either way, definitely see Ticket To Paradise, and see what you think!
Final Grade: B+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 