‘Ticket To Paradise’ – Unsurprisingly romantic

Divorcees Georgia and David would do just about anything never to see each other again. At their daughter’s graduation, their only request is to be seated as far as possible from one another. The movie opens immediately, addressing their contempt for each other, but with over a decade of separation, their business seems unfinished. That will have to wait since their only daughter can’t wait to marry a man she barely knows, naturally requiring the immediate joint intervention of her nosy know-it-all parents.

With effortless charm and a pair of the world’s most recognisable names and faces, Ticket to Paradise seems like a no-brainer. Audiences may go bananas for blockbusters, but there’s no substitute for the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from a classic romantic comedy. Who better to serve up a hot plate of nostalgia than two veterans of the genre, George Clooney and Julia Roberts?

Watching the co-stars bicker relentlessly is gratifying and a reminder of how easily these two can carry a film. Ticket to Paradise is far from a challenging movie, especially since it no doubt acts as an all-expenses-paid vacation for two of Hollywood’s living legends. Despite being a walk in the tropical park for the two, they nevertheless give the movie an endearing quality.

The story is as predictable as you might expect, with all the necessary twists and turns. Watching Clooney play the intimidating dad-in-law role against Roberts’ micromanaging mom has a fair bit of tension as the movie gets into the cause of their rift. Their underlying history is the most intriguing aspect, with the main plot essentially resulting in a series of poorly executed hijinks to derail the upcoming nuptials by any means necessary. Watching that play out is enjoyable, even with the ending telegraphed from the first 15 seconds of the film.

Ticket To Paradise offers no surprises. It is exactly what one would expect with stars like these and with a plot like this. For the audience intended, nothing more needs to be delivered.

Rating: Half Price

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.