Cast: Anne Heche, Vince Vaughn, Joaquin Phoenix, David Conrad, Jada Pinkett Smith
Director: Joseph Ruben
Previews: What Dreams May Come
Buried somewhere, deep in the recesses of your local multi-plex, lies one of the true gems of the summer, and of the year so far. This is surely the most powerful, and emotional movies I've seen, if not one of the best this year (Sorry Mr Spielberg, but this movie didn't go for the obvious emotion, but rather, it let the story tell itself. It allowed the truth and power of the story to provide the emotion)
Return To Paradise (based upon the story 1997 story Force Majeure) tells the tale of an American, (Joaquin Phoenix, River's very talented little brother) imprisoned in Malaysia on drug charges. His two friends (Vince Vaughn and David Conrad), who partied with him there, and then left, are his only hope of survival. Buoyed by an American attorney (Anne Heche), the men are given the choice of returning to Malaysia to commute the American's death sentence, in exchange for prison time, or having their friend die, and living with it on their consciences.
I have often complained about the pacing of movies this year. Whether they be a bit too slow to develop (my only complaint on H20 ) developing too fast and spoiling the movie (as in Snake Eyes) or never developing at all (as in a recent video viewing of the Coen brothers disaster, The Big Lebowski). As Return to Paradise plodded along, I began to feel victim to this again. The story started slow, developed slowly, and I was afraid that I was in for another slight letdown. Although intrigued and entranced to the screen, I still was waving my hand in the saying "Alright already, get to it". But then, something magical happened. The last 20 minutes of this movie are the most emotional, and powerful, that I have seen in recent memory. All of a sudden, the previous hour and a half plus, made perfect sense. It developed the characters, let you know them, reeled you into the plot. In doing so, making you care, without even realizing it.
You go through the moral dilemmas of each character. Vaughn, who is partially responsible for Phoenix's imprisonment, fights it, and you fight it with him. Conrad, the calm one, with so much to lose, yet never hesitating, showing the true power of friendship. Heche, the impassioned voice, fighting the ultimate uphill battle, against the friends, and foreign governments. But most of all, Phoenix, his life torn apart, his world destroyed, and you are there with him. From his partying, happy-go-lucky, save the world nature, directly to the haunting, disturbing visions of his new leaf. In a foreign prison, no freedoms, his body rotting away, but his soul, and faith remaining strong.
This is a look into the various aspects of human nature, in each character, you see, and relate, to the different stages of how people deal with crisis. Denial, rejection, desperation, acceptance, all portrayed so eloquently here. The performances are nothing short of magnificent, and are the main reason that you care about each person. Because you know them, you relate to them. Heche and Vaughn both give their best performances by far (which says a lot considering how wonderful Vaughn was in one of my favorite movies, Swingers), Pinkett (as a nosy, persistent reporter, whose purpose seemed like a pointless side story, until it all came together), and Conrad give fine supporting nods as well. (Ever notice that a good movie, and good performances around you, can raise the bar?..these two rise to the occasion). But the standout here is Phoenix. If the Academy can remember this movie come springtime, the least that must be done is to recognize this performance (and maybe make up for missing Kevin Bacon's masterful prison turn in Murder in the First). He has shown flashes of brilliance before (and is making big brother up in heaven very proud I'm sure) in U-Turn (one of the few watchable things there) and To Die For (the only watchable thing). But here, he clears the bar, and then some. The emotion, the strength, without dialog, you know exactly what he's saying, what he's feeling..you are in that cell with him. The best supporting nod I have seen this year.
When you work on a puzzle, the end result is sometimes unclear, until the last piece fits in. But when it does, everything comes together, into focus, the final picture is truly amazing. That is what happens here. Meandering along, slowly, yet deliberately, creating the powerful stage, where the final act unfolds. Then drawing the curtain back suddenly, and grabbing us by the heart, and staying there. I thought that the summer movie season may be dead, and hopeless. However, with this movie, my faith has been restored. Find this one wherever you can, and see it ($$$$1/2)
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