“Ticket to Paradise” is the tale of a divorced couple trying to stop their daughter from rushing into a marriage and making the mistake they made 25 years ago.
George Clooney and Julia Roberts are the perfect comic duo.
That’s evident in “Ticket to Paradise,” in which the stars from the “Ocean’s 11” franchise play a divorced couple trying to prevent their daughter from marrying a seaweed farmer in Bali, Indonesia.
Mr. Clooney plays David Cotton, the father of recent law graduate Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), and Julia Roberts is the mother, Georgia Cotton. David and Georgia get the shock of their lives when Lily, who took a trip with a friend to Bali after commencement, announces that instead of embarking on her law career, she’s going to settle down with Gede (Maxime Bouttier), the seaweed farmer.
From that point, David and Georgia, two divorcees who can’t stand each other, agree to put their differences aside and sabotage this wedding. After all, they don’t want Lily to make the mistake they made when they married each other 25 years ago.
Along the way, Georgia sees her young boyfriend, not-too-bright airline pilot Paul (Lucas Bravo), but it’s clear the chemistry is better between David and Georgia.
Ol Parker directs a movie that has just the right amount of slapstick, the right amount of characters panicking, and Mr. Clooney and Ms. Roberts deliver the well-written dialogue in Mr. Parker and co-writer Daniel Pipski’s screenplay with the right amount of verbal punch.
The plot is somewhat predictable. You know the parents are likely to get into trouble with Lily over their schemes. It’s just a question of when. And some of the jokes from the supporting characters distract from the place that the camera should rarely leave: David and Georgia bickering and later having fun together, suggesting the embers of love may still burn hot.
The main reason to see this movie is the reunion of Ms. Roberts and Mr. Clooney, who are naturally funny together.
As a bonus, there’s a good supporting cast. Ms. Dever adds some depth to the film in her portrayal of Lily, and as the clueless Paul, Mr. Bravo is hilarious.
As you’d suspect, this is a good movie for couples to see.
email: dmason@newspress.com
FYI
“Ticket to Paradise” is playing at Paseo Nuevo, downtown Santa Barbara, ,and Fairview Theatre, 225 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta; and Regal Edwards Santa Maria RPX, 100 Town Center E., Santa Maria. See metrotheatres.com and regmovies.com.
