Nothing beats a good ole rom-com to satisfy both the funny bone and romantic inside of us. This month, Universal Pictures has brought us a powerhouse tandem in George Clooney and Julia Roberts who reunite once again after almost 6 years since their last film together, Money Monster. Ticket to Paradise, which is still in theaters as of writing will be the very focal point of this specific review here at This Is Hype Ph.
Ticket to Paradise Review: Overview
As mentioned, this isn’t the first time that George Clooney and Julia Roberts have joined forces for a film. One of the most notable films in their repertoire together is Ocean’s franchise specifically the first two films — Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and Ocean’s Twelve (2004). Joining Roberts and Clooney is Kaitlyn Dever (Dear Evan Hansen) while the film is directed by Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again director, Ol Parker.
The film follows divorced parents David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts) Cotton who have lived separate lives with the exception of reuniting in disagreeable moments from time to time due to their daughter Lily (Dever). One moment, in particular, puts the former couple through the ultimate test as they learn that Lily has decided to get married in Bali, Indonesia after meeting a man, Gede (Maxime Bouttier) during her vacation. David and Georgia fly all the way to Bali with the hopes to stop the wedding from happening due to a desire for their daughter not to make the same mistakes that they had made 25 years ago. They must put all their differences aside to complete this mission but as the film progresses it proves to be a more difficult task than they could have possibly imagined as sparks fly even for David and Georgia.
Ticket to Paradise Review: Spoiler Warnings
Given that Ticket to Paradise is still showing in theaters here in the Philippines, we will keep this review free from spoilers. Instead, we will focus the discussion on the rom-com standing of the film, the direction of its premise, and the chemistry of its main cast.
Opposites Collide
The main premise of the story of Ticket to Paradise revolves around two people to seem to be complete opposites which makes them incompatible as a couple. This is what the film tries to paint a picture of in terms of the marriage of David and Georgia as well as the romance budding between Lily and Gede. The plans to ruin the wedding don’t go accordingly and we see two couples who help each other realize the truth about each other. As I write the premise of the story it is very evident that the story is pretty simple and direct to the point. There isn’t anything surprising or unique about Ticket to Paradise. It may therefore tend to be ordinary. There’s no hidden message, twist, or deeper theme involved other than the sanctity of love and marriage. It promotes the differences between couples and the singular units or individuals in them and the need to let love be the driving force to surpass such dissimilarities.
That being said, Ticket to Paradise surprisingly manages to be very fun and engaging to watch. This is where the film actually succeeds the most. The movie as a whole is plain and simple in its plot but is an overall feel-good film. The jokes and predicaments that our characters find themselves in are for the most part really funny while there are some moments that feel dry and flat. As a whole, it’s a light-hearted film full of hilarious antics and twists that keep us viewers engaged. So it becomes a bit of a toss-up at times to be quite honest between story and enjoyability. In this case, the fun aspects overpower the story in itself due to the very direct flow of the premise.
As a film in the rom-com genre, it’s admittedly pretty successful. Yes, there are moments that drag along and aren’t as entertaining as the rest which primarily boils down to a consistency issue. The movie does the job of marrying the romance and comedic side. Admittedly it isn’t a goosebumps and giddy romantic film through and through as this component could do a bit more work but again the entertaining quality of Ticket to Paradise is very much there. The aspects that deal with love as the premise of broken relationships portray is very visible. It gets the bare minimum level done but not enough, to be honest when you start comparing it to other films in the same genre. In simpler terms as a rom-com film, there’s more “com” than “rom”.
Chemistry Achieved
One of the best aspects of the film is the manner in which the cast complements one another. The chemistry is just on point. From Clooney and Roberts to Dever and even with the relationships shown between father and daughter, mother and daughter, and the parents with their soon-to-be son-in-law every relationship and acting made sense. It was clear that the actors knew how to get inside the characters that they were in. Yes, some of the requirements for some of the characters were a bit over-exaggerated and were out of reality or character. An example would be the ridiculously ironic moments with the pilot/Georgia’s current boyfriend which felt forced at times, to be honest. There were also some moments and acting choices from some of the cast members that weren’t that believable and in turn felt flat and monotonous like some scenes with Maxime Bouttier.
Clooney and Roberts are legends and acting veterans in Hollywood for a reason. I remember watching Money Monster and just loving the tandem and chemistry between the two actors. I felt the exact same way once again with how they carried this film together and as individuals. They were able to showcase what makes them great in this profession as they managed to tie everything all together while not overpowering others in doing so. It seemed natural and effortless how the two managed to traverse through the various scenarios that they were in. The fun and entertaining elements primarily were brought to the table because of these two. The facial expressions and gestures were just spot-on. One of my personal favorites was the effortless goofy vibes and acting that they gave during the party/beer pong scene. It was just utterly hilarious to watch while being subtle enough to work. It greatly portrayed the typical kids being “embarrassed by their parent’s” scenario but in a manner that still felt believable.
Ticket to Paradise Review: Final Verdict
Pros:
- Punchlines and slapstick humor
- Overall entertaining and fun tone
Cons:
- Nothing really new or special in terms of story
- Lacks emotionality and relies more on the comedic moments
Hype Meter: 8/10
Ticket to Paradise is simply a feel-good film. There’s nothing at all ground-breaking or mind-blowingly great in the story but the cast’s chemistry brings out enough laughs, joy, and entertainment value which is worth the price of admission. It’s the type of film that you don’t have to think or ponder much about but still manages to provide a relaxing escape — admittedly something we need more of these days.
Check out Ticket to Paradise now while it’s still showing in select theaters here in the Philippines.
