Movies-TV

AN INVENTIVE AND PROFOUND MODERN DAY MORALITY TALE...

This is a wonderfully creative movie, with top-notch directing and award caliber performances by a talented cast. The premise is a fairly simple one. Three young men, Sheriff (Vincent Vaughn), Tony (David Conrad), and Louis (Joaquin Phoenix), who previously didn't know one another, team up in Malaysia and party hearty. They have fun drinking, smoking hashish, and picking up girls. Sheriff and Tony head back to the states, leaving Louis behind, as he has a wildlife conservation idea involving orangutans that he wishes to pursue while in Malaysia. Before they go, Sheriff makes it a point to leave his dope stash in the house in which Louis is remaining. Later, the police come to search the premises on a matter unrelated to the dope stash. When they find it, however, they arrest Louis, who literally has been left holding the bag.

Two years later, Anne Heche enters the picture as a lawyer, ostensibly working on behalf of her client, Louis. She seeks out Sheriff and Tony with a proposition. It seems that while Sheriff and Tony have been getting on with their lives, Louis has been rotting in a Malaysian prison for the past two years and living in sheer terror. You see, Louis is scheduled to be executed in eight days as a drug dealer, as the amount of dope that had been left behind and discovered by the police was just over a threshold amount that would classify it as being for distribution, rather than for personal use. The only hope Louis has of staying alive is if Sheriff and Tony go back to Malaysia to take responsibility for their part in this and serve three years each. If only one returns, then the sole returnee faces six years. Will it be all for one and one for all? Will Louis live to personally thank his friends? Watch the movie and find out.

Vince Vaughn as Sheriff gives a compelling performance. Playing the quintessential Everyman, he struggles with his moral obligation. It is strictly a moral one, as legally he can just sit by and do nothing. Tony, too, undergoes some soul searching. They finally both come to the same conclusion, or do they? The dilemma that they face is an excruciatingly personal one. The movie builds up to a level of suspense that is totally unexpected. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix, one of the finest young actors of his generation, gives a performance that will haunt the viewer for days. Anne Heche also give a noteworthy performance, intense and relentless in her quest to save what life Louis has left. Jada Pinkett also gives a strong performance as a news reporter who is interested in the story. Her interjection into the movie brings into the forefront the issue of the responsibility of the press. When you see this movie, you will understand what this means.

This film is excellent on all fronts. The only weakness was an unnecessary subplot, which involved a blossoming romance between Sheriff and the character played by Anne Heche. Were it not for this digression, I would have given the movie five stars. It is an otherwise profoundly moving film that deserves to be seen.

well worth watching

This movie is inspired by a wonderful French film, FORCE MAJEURE (qv), rather than being a remake hereof : while the start is the same, the treatments are somewhat different but the ends are similar. Excellent acting, especially by Anne Heche and Joaquim Phoenix . To be noted, a forceful and significant ( but uncredited ) portrayal by Raymond J. Barry as Vince Vaughn's father ( who did not exist, to the best of my rememberances , in the French film )

Bad balance

The contents is interesting, but I feel that the balance in the movie is wrong. It is quite obvious that they will return from the beginning (otherwise there would be no movie, and it is "the right thing to do"), but we have to follow this for more than an hour. Quite boring.What happens in the rest of the movie is much more interesting but is hurried through with great speed and then the show is over.

Intense, original, and well-acted

IMHO, this film was a few refinements away from Best Picture consideration. In a year filled with copycat films, this stood out as something different.The performances by Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix were outstanding. Anne Heche was so good, it was almost enough to cleanse the bad taste in my mouth from "Six Days, Seven Nights".Well, okay... she wasn't THAT good but her performance was fantastic.Very intense and dramatic; not exactly for those who like the "feel good" fare but an engaging and gripping film for the rest of us.

Not the must see I was expecting

After reading many rave reviews about this film and Roger Ebert giving it 3 1/2 stars, I thought I'd catch this film on Showtime. It was an interesting film; however, it lacked the power and drama I thought I'd be getting out of this plotline. The acting was above average, but the story just didn't grab me as I thought it should have. If you've got time to spare, you may want to rent it; however, do not go out of your way to see it.

Not Exactly Paradise, But Definitely A Great Film

I loved this film. It is a film that draws you in emotionally. It forces you to think and to take sides. It keeps you on edge and gets you so involved that you forget you are watching a film. How often does that happen? I can't say enough, it is just a great story. It is one of those films you catch yourself thinking about long after you have watched it. This is without a doubt a five star film.

Wonderful film. Good moral questions. And absolutely great story!

This 1998 drama took me by surprise. I got completely involved in it. My heart beat and I felt pangs of anxiety. And I couldn't stop watching.


The film opens in Malaysia where three young American men are just plain having a good time. There are wonderful beaches, lots of girls and plenty of hashish. Then their vacation is over. Two of them return home. The third, Lewis, played by Joaquin Phoenix, decides to stay on and join a group that saves gorillas.


Fast forward now two years. As none of these Americans knew each other too well, they have lost touch. Enter Anne Heche. She contacts both John, played by Vince Vaughn and David, played by Tony Croft. She tells them she is Lewis' attorney. The story is that right after the three men separated, Lewis was arrested for hashish possession. It was such a large quantity that he is considered a drug trafficker; the sentence is death. He's been in a Malaysian jail all this time and the case has been under appeal. But the appeals have run out, and Lewis is sentenced to die in just eight days.


However, if both John and David would return to Malaysia and each serve a 3-year sentence, Lewis' life would be saved. If only one of the men return, the sentence would be six years. But either way, Lewis would be allowed to live. This is quite a dilemma. And from that point on I knew that no matter how it turned out, it would not be a pleasant ending. I couldn't help my real deep emotions that surfaced during this film. What would I do if put into that situation? A Malaysia prison is a horrible place. And in case we don't get it, there are several scenes shot there.


This is a fine film. It brings up questions of moral complexity. There are no easy answers.

Yes, the acting is good, the cinematography just right. But the thing that fascinated me the most was the story. And isn't that what a good film is really about?

One of the most underrated movies of the past decade

Return To Paradise is one of the best films you've never heard of. It was buried in the summer of 1998 to mostly positive reviews and was later unsuccessfully reinvented 9 months later here in the UK on the back of Psycho which also starred Vaughn and Heche. Its been unfairly treated by the now defunct Polygram as it is a quite incredible little drama with some superb performances and some moments of great power. The premise is relatively simple. Three friends on holiday in Malaysia. Two leave. The police arrive and find hash where they were staying. The third is put in jail. Two years later a lawyer finds the two remaining men in New York and tells them that their friend was found guilty of trafficking. They must go back to share the punishment or he will die in 7 days.Its a frightening dilemma and you can't help but ask yourself the same question. Would you go back? If one goes back they go to prison for 6 years. If both go they will have 3 years each. All of the arguments are put forward, making the answer not seem as clear as originally imagined.The timeframe is made even tenser with titles reminding us of how many days are remaining. Vince Vaughn plays our hero who doesn't always act in the morally correct way we expect him to do. He doesn't immediately decide to go back, making us question if we would either. Vaughn gives the finest performance of his career as the not completely likeable 'Sheriff'. Anne Heche plays the increasingly desperate lawyer who will do anything to save her client from execution. And her desperation is made completely believable by Heche's multi-faceted performance.And then Joaquin Phoenix plays the imprisoned Lewis who has little screen time but whenever he's on he totally captivates. His video message to his two friends is heartbreaking. There are numerous twists which serve to further the emotional capital which is placed in the conclusion.And by the time the suspenseful court scene arrives, you will find yourself nervously hoping for a happy ending. Needless to say the film ends with a succession of unspeakably powerful scenes. Its hard to remember a film which I found as moving as this. It serves as a very poignant anti-drugs message. Its impact will stay with you for days, making it really quite unforgettable. Hunt this down. You will be richly rewarded.

GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

i was looiking for this movie for a every long time and couldent find it anywhere i got on here found it and brought it right away this is a movie about how true your friendship is with someone would you give up 3 to 6 years of your life for your frinds life??

Worth the time

I liked this movie because it was a very quiet, character developing drama. You get the sense from watching it that you are seeing something different for a change. Anne Heche, Vince Vaughn, and Joaquin Phoenix are all excellent and hold the movie together despite some flaws. The film is just as much about the evolving of character and relationships as the social and ethical issues it attempts to raise. I'm sure some people will find it slow especially all the scenes with Beth & Sheriff, but they were quite interesting to me. I felt like I was actually watching two people say what they really meant and express how they really felt instead of actors who have memorized their lines really well.Although the plot twists are somewhat predictable, it is still intriguing to watch the drama unfold. After viewing it I felt it was more a love story than anything else and was thoroughly convinced about the relationship between Beth & Sheriff. I would definitely rate this above overrated, hyped-up, Hollywood fluff movies such as this year's Oscar winner, Shakespeare in Love.

one of the most moving and thought provoking films i've seen

this film stayed with me a long time after viewing it. it was impossible not to try to imagine what i would have decided, given the same predicament. the film makers made it as complicated as real life, there was no pandering the audience here. just when i thought it was quite clear what the right decision would be, the film changed direction, presented a totally different perspective and never sold out to the simple solution. i'm very glad to have seen this film.

Boring but at least heart-wrenching

this movie has good actors, a moving story, scenes that you will be thinking about a long time and a real shocking and unexpected ending. but for me, this movie has one big problem: there is really nothing much happening during the entire middle of the movie. anne heche tries to make vince vaughn (who acts really good) "return to paradise" to save the life of louis. this takes over an hour to take place and isn't as much interesting, shocking, thoughtful or anything as the great and unsuspected ending is. it's really sad and will leave you thinking. but I think you should not judge the malaysia by seeing this movie ( I don't think it is intended to make you do it ).

Poor writing flounders an otherwise thoughtfully emotional experience.

The second half of this movie, shot in Malaysia, saves a mediocre production from the noose. It examines the faith and sympathy of a single loved one stranded in turmoil, and the sacrificial ending gives out the real truth for choosing one way over another. Yet, that one scene alone doesn't always render the movie harmless. What hurts RETURN TO PARADISE is the way it presents in a soap opera style. There's plenty of talk and useless lovemaking, making me wonder what kind of stirring impact the entire movie has in mind. Anne Heche proves that there's always a leading lady to hang around in Hollywood films, and here, she appears to be stealing time. Not surprisingly, it does offer some will and testament of conflicting battles between good and evil in a progressively modern state. More storytelling and less strays would have made this one better.

Intelligent treatment of an interesting premise gets destroyed by a ridiculous love interest

This movie started out very promisingly- the central moral dilemma is interesting, and the acting and directing were quite good. (Although people have been saying that Joaquin Phoenix "steals the movie", and he was very good, keep in mind he's only onscreen for 10-15 minutes or so out of the entire movie.)However, as the flick goes on, it seems to forget where it's going and presents the viewer with what is probably the most ridiculous and unbelievable tossed-in Hollywood romance I've ever seen. (And this has nothing to do with Anne Heche's real-life orientation- her acting is just fine in this.) I was stunned at what this movie expected me to buy. And at the end, the romance completely takes over the story, as though Phoenix's character was a side plot all along. I was nauseated by the last scene in the movie, where Heche's character goes completely off the deep end of credibility.Not to mention Vince Vaughn's character- (is he typecast as "the self-centered jerk" or what? I guess depending on your opinion of Norman Bates. . .) he tries his best, but I found myself asking "why" after practically every line his character spoke. What were his motivations? What causes his journey from who he is at the beginning to who he is at the end of the movie (besides the desire to bang Anne Heche)? That said, the movie probably could have survived the questionable development of this character aside from the relationship which develops with Anne Heche.Usually thrown-in extraneous romances are just distracting. This one actively works to destroy an otherwise good movie. Yes, it's *that bad*. 20 minutes of truly absurd material ruin the other 90.

a great movie

this is one of the few movies that has ever made me cry . the movie was great and made me think about what i would do and it really makes you realize how good life in america is. i thought joaquin played in some way the biggest role even though you only saw him for brief amounts of time.he diserved so much more credit after all he is the one who made you cry. vince vaughn and anne heche were also great. this is one of those movies that leaves you crying the next day so plan something fun . also don't listen to return to film school he has no idea what he is talking about.

A movie that actually makes you not root for the good guys!

First off, let me say that this movie could have been very good. The movie's premise surprisingly wasn't bad! But then like so many movies that start off with good ideas--IT ALL WENT TO HELL! Below are the following reasons why...1. The script was horrible! Half-way through the movie I was convinced that they had changed writers (which they probably did). I can literally count the movie's good (and that's being nice)lines using just one hand.2. The characters were so unlikable! The lawyer was honestly one of the worst lawyers I have seen in a film to date. She had no idea how to handle her case. If she had been a responsible person she would have given it to someone with more experience. But she wasn't. Instead she continued to mess things up not just for her client, oh no, but for almost EVERYONE around her! And her client, played by an amazing actor who has shined in so many films, barely lit up the screen. This of course leaves me to my next point...3. Character development, which was just awful! Phoenix was barely given any screen time. Why?!!! He was by far the most talented actor in the cast! And with such little screen time, I didn't get a chance to really care about his character. As for the other characters, I guess if you consider drinking beer and whining character development, then they were completely developed! Well, those were my reasons, hope they helped!

Neat-O

One of the most intense, powerful endings I have ever seen. I never liked Anne Heche before, but after seeing her in this movie I began respecting her. That one guy, I don't feel like trying to spell his name, did an incredible job acting inside the prison and in the ending. Enough said.

Thought-provoking moral drama. Phoenix is remarkable.

2 years ago friends Sheriff (Vaughn) and Tony (Conrad) met tree-hugging hippy, Lewis McBride (Phoenix) in Malaysia. They spent the duration of their holiday hanging out doing the usual- girls, drugs and parties. Sheriff and Tony had to leave their friend behind to head back to New York where reality awaited them. And that, so they thought, was the end of that. Fast forward into the present and Sheriff is approached by Beth Eastern (Heche), Lewis's lawyer. Turns out that when Sheriff and Tony left Malaysia the bungalow they'd been staying in with Lewis was raided by the police and they found 400 grams of hash. In Malaysia, if someone is found with more than 100 grams they are not only jailed for trafficking, but hung. And that is exactly Lewis's fate in 8 days unless Sheriff and Tony return to Malaysia to take responsibility for their share of the drugs and consequently do 3 years each in Penang jail. If only one of them returns, then he has to do both sentences adding up to 6 years. If neither returns, then Lewis would have taken a 2 year rap for them, and will die.Thus is the moral dilemma that will have you asking yourself 'what would i do if i was in the same position?'.Vince Vaughn is a fairly wooden actor. Sometimes it seems he is reading his lines from a cue-card. Anne Heche is fine in the role as persistent lawyer... what really doesn't work is the love affair between her and Vaughn. The added romance seems clumsy in this story, as though it was thrown in as an after-thought in case the major plot-line gets too heavy. But honestly, if worked on a little more, the major moral dilemma would have made a totally adequate film. And if Joaquin Phoenix had been given more screen time, this would have been a fantastic film. Phoenix, as always, is just remarkable. Playing a slightly maddened, mumbling wreck of a character, he delivers and absolutely heart-wrenching performance and is the film's stand-out actor.Honestly, if the moral dilemma of staying and letting a man die, or leaving and throwing your own life away was the only focus in this film, and if Joaquin Phoenix had been given a juicer role with more scenes... well, it would have been a much more worthy film. Cut out the Vaughn/Heche love story, because there is clearly no chemistry between the Vaughn giant and pixie Heche. Give Phoenix a bigger wing-span and you have yourself a fantastic film.Unfortunately the actual end result is lacking in many departments.However, Phoenix is masterful- one of the best actors of my generation. Watch the film for his performance alone, you will be left speechless.

Hello! Academy Awards People! Wake up!

I actually saw this in the theatre when it was released. This is an amazing movie. Don't pay attention to the review "Go back to Film School". Some people are a little over analytical and should just watch the news for their entertainment. Remember, a movie is just that, a movie, a story. Return to Paradise is a thought provoking and highly emotional STORY, a combination of which is exactly what I seek from films. If I leave the theatre and all I can muster is "Wow", then I know I just got my money's worth. Not only could I not speak for a while, I was in a complete daze. My boyfriend and I talked about the movie for hours afterwards, once I was able to Return to Reality. You become completely involved with these characters. That is, if your not too busy analyzing every second of each scene waiting for imperfections to arise. I have to say the most phenomonal acting was done by Joaquin Phoenix. I just cannot believe the Academy and the Hollywood Foreign Press overlooked this film altogether. Politics I am sure. We wouldn't want anyone/Malaysia to get mad at us. Better to just ignore that film. Bottom line, I thought this movie was fabulous. Some may disagree, but that's totally fine. Most of you however, I think will be moved, shocked, depressed, confused and amazed after watching this movie. Then ask yourself what would you do? REALLY. If you answer too quickly then your not being truthful. It takes some thought.

Please just kill him.

Apart from the tremendously horrific Glitter and Cruel Intentions, this movie has proved already to be the most incalculable waste of my time. Of course, when I add the 16 minutes of commercial break to the 111-minute run time, I can get a ballpark figure of lost opportunity. But what about the time it takes me to stew now that it's over? To write this scathing review? To detail why this loss of time can bring a person to suicide? Please, if you don't kill Joaquin's character, at least remove my feeding tube.The plot. No. I don't even have the energy for this. Besides, the real problem lies in the "brilliant acting", the "exceptional character depth", the "honest conveying of emotions". Joaquin. You're the shining exception. As usual, you channeled your life's tragedy into a brilliant performance, most notably in the video from the prison cell. Unfortunately, you were a minor character, and therefore I had to sit through this tragedy of a film for just the occasional treat. I'm sorry. Honestly, it wasn't worth it.Anne Heche. I hate you. You cannot act. You had absolutely no emotions and appeared to be reading from cue cards. Thank god for the debilitating mental illness that knocked you out of the movie industry for good.Vince. What can I say? You disappointed. I have extremely high expectations of you, and you usually impress. Clearly, you are naturally vindictive, twisted, self-righteous, self-loathing, self-deprecating...in the most beautiful of ways, of course. This time, though, your nature just didn't come through. Actually, you bored me to tears. Don't do it again. But I know it was Anne's fault. I forgive you.Jada Pinkett Smith. What a waste of your time. What a waste of my time. The guy who plays Tony. There is a reason nobody knows your name. I almost forgot to even mention you in this review. Yes, you are utterly forgettable. Please take you one-dimensional portrayals elsewhere.The girl who plays Tony's girlfriend. You are nobody, but you can act. Thank you kindly. I'm sorry Hollywood hasn't been so kind.Enough time has been wasted on this. I shall not carry on. You will undoubtedly not heed my warning and watch this movie anyway. Afterwards, you will feel a deep regret. But don't be too harsh on yourself. Channel it towards Anne. She deserves it for RUINING this film.