Sofia Al-Hussaini
Among a sea of faux-edgy teen thrillers and tight knit blockbuster ‘universes’, Ticket to Paradise delivers on the cinematic escapism promised in its title less through the Edenic fantasy of its lush Bali setting and romantic plotlines than in the nostalgia generated through its adherence to the formulaic structure of the late-2000s romcom.
Ticket to Paradise is a film set to the familiar rhythms of the romcom, rising and falling with the crescendos of well-worn tropes and tensions. As one might expect, we begin with the introduction of a man and woman at complete odds with one another; David (George Clooney) and Georgia (Julia Roberts). Here, their adversarial relationship is a result of a failed marriage which has left both parties resentful, only able to stomach the others’ presence for the benefit of their daughter Lily.
“Hijinks ensue. Sparks rekindle. True love wins out.”
The plot is set in motion when they reunite for Lily’s graduation, bickering their way through the ceremony before parting ways – seemingly forever – when they drop her at the airport. However, they are soon forced into a conspiratorial relationship when Lily announces she will be abandoning her plans of a high-flying legal career to marry and move in with Gede, a seaweed farmer she met whilst vacationing in Bali. David and Georgia, determined to right their daughter on her path to corporate success, join forces in their efforts to sabotage the nuptials. Hijinks ensue. Sparks rekindle. True love wins out.
The plot delivers exactly what one would expect.
Comedy falls flat
Ticket to Paradise finds its comedy in the tensions that typify the romcom; the conflict between disapproving father and prospective son-in-law, the culture shock experienced when two families are united through marriage, the unsuitability of Georgia’s exaggeratedly sycophantic boyfriend and the verbal sparring of a combative couple.
“many of the punchlines lack the sheen of originality”
A significant proportion of the film’s screen time is devoted to moments of physical comedy as we watch David and Georgia’s fish-out-of-water attempts to navigate the lifestyle of the indigenous inhabitants of Bali. However, the familiarity of these themes means that many of the punchlines lack the sheen of originality and thus seem a waste of time, which would be better spent developing the relationships between characters. Lily’s fiancé Gede, for example, is afforded so little development that their wedding seems an unfulfilling conclusion to the film and does not quite carry the necessary weight to justify its role in David and Georgia’s reconciliation.
Similarly, much of the film is spent on fast-paced back-and-forth between David and Georgia. The dialogue between the couple is central to the success of the film, both in order to establish the degree of animosity they have for one another and to create the witty, engaging tone which is clearly the writer’s aim. However, the dialogue fails to capture both the supposed depth of their relationship and the humour of a truly cutting remark as it is entirely focussed on superficial jabs over trivial issues such as ownership of a shared arm rest. As such, it feels as if the emotional resonance of the film has been sacrificed in order to make space for comedy which falls a little flat.
Casting
Whilst watching Ticket to Paradise one gets the impression that producers were banking on the star power of their leads to carry the weight of an otherwise unremarkable script. Whilst Clooney and Roberts lend their characters all the pearly-toothed charm one would expect from the industry veterans, the roles are ultimately forgettable, destined to remain forgotten credits on the bottom of their already dense IMDB entries.
In fact, the cast member who stands out most favourably is Billie Lourd in the role of Wren, Lily’s chaotic, hard-partying friend. Lourd’s comedic timing and deadpan delivery consistently garnered genuine laughs from around the cinema and Wren becomes a memorable and entertaining character despite her limited screen time.
Final Judgement: Charming but Forgettable
“its very banality is the key to its fulfilment of the escapism promised in its title.”
Ticket to Paradise is an ultimately forgettable film, adhering so closely to the conventions of the genre that it feels almost entirely unoriginal. However, its very banality is the key to its fulfilment of the escapism promised in its title. As I watched the narrative unfold, I found myself transported not to the thrilling world of romantic entanglements in exotic locations but instead to the hazy, rose-coloured memories of my childhood. The film sent me into a reverie where I was fighting my sisters for a turn on the television so I could watch Adam Sandler and Kate Hudson clambering through the three-act structure for their chance at true love.
Ticket to Paradise succeeds because its overly-digestible, familiar narrative lends a first viewing to the nostalgic experience of re-watching a long-lost comfort film.
Check out one of Empoword’s latest reviews on See How They Run here.
Featured image courtesy of Alessa Ciraulo via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes have been made to this image.
1 Comment