Ticket to Paradise - A Movie Review

We have to get there now before the wedding starts.

Flying into theaters, Ticket to Paradise is a 2022 film. Announcing that she is getting married, a divorced couple team up to talk their daughter out of it. Arriving at the island, they realize that their actions may be too overdramatic.

Ticket to Paradise is your typical rom-com - if you want to call it that. Drowned out by constant bickering between Clooney and Roberts, the story gets lost at its seams. It loses focus of which subplot is its main focus. The film doesn’t include a positive message about love.

George Clooney and Julia Roberts had the time of their lives improvising insults and snarky comebacks. Once we’re past the twenty-minute mark, that’s basically it with their characters. Georgina and David are at one another's throats so much that I didn’t want to be around them.

I was not fond of Georgina. All she wants to do is get ahead in life. She has no remorse for her actions. David was more willing to give the situation a chance, showing some growth. I really enjoyed his drunken dancing. It made me laugh.

Kaitlyn Dever has come into her own as an actress. We should have focused more on Lily and Gede (Maxime Bouttier). This film is about them. Rushing into a marriage, it’s evident that they do love each other, but they are still unsure of their feelings.

Lily didn’t get the right direction from her parents which she needed. I also felt bad for her the more deflated she becomes with her parent's constant arguing. Gede is a respectful young man. Writers and Bouttier gave him the best portrayal out of anyone.

Based on their history, David and Georgia were never right for each other. They were so insensitive about love and marriage that they’re actually willing to sacrifice their daughter's wedding just so it won’t go ahead!

Their relationship with Lily is non-existent, David and Georgina competed for her love and admitted behind her back that they wish they didn’t have a child. Albeit, it’s meant so she wouldn’t have to get caught up in the toxic relationship, but this line is delivered with no heart.

Best supporting character award goes to Billie Lourd and the woman on the plane. That’s how you make a small role memorable. Without Wren, this film would not be what it is. I would honestly watch a spinoff with her. She is here as the supportive best friend, not only to Lily but also to have a talk with David.

Other than the gorgeous location, Ol Parker repeated the usual ingredients to every rom-com. Nothing new is brought to the screen. It’s a fun story - for the first thirty minutes. The comedy is as expected. Unending bickering between a couple who should never have been together in my opinion. It’s dry and tedious.

Edits cut too soon from scenes. For example, there is this one scene that involves a Bali ritual. This scene lasts less than a minute until cutting away. What was the point of it?

The audience who I saw this film with at least made it memorable. One couple laughed at most of the dialogue, even repeating it to one another. Okay, my favorite scene was David inadvertently tying the raft to a log that drifts away. That got a laugh.

Ticket to Paradise isn't the light-hearted comedy that you'd expect. It wasn’t my favorite film, but it still made me laugh. If you want, go see it in theaters.