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Watching “Ticket to Paradise,” one can’t help but think of the famous James Stewart line from 1940’s “The Philadelphia Story.” It goes, “The prettiest sight in this fine, pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges.”

To be clear, the privileged class in Ol Parker ’s frustratingly unexceptional rom-com doesn’t only consist of the story’s chief characters: successful architects, art dealers, and recent grads of a fancy college, with pockets deep enough to afford an extended luxury vacation in Bali. In this specific case, it also consists of two bona fide movie stars— George Clooney and Julia Roberts (you might have heard of them here and there)—having a ball with the well-earned privileges of their status as the-last-of-their-kind Hollywood superstars, while bickering their way through some bitter zingers and sarcastic gotchas.

In that regard, it certainly is a pretty sight, to witness two gorgeous, forever-charismatic silver screen royals unite against a breathtaking tropical backdrop (and in frothy promotional videos), with their gracefully aging visages front and center before the rest of us mortals. Sadly though, the loose link between “Ticket to Paradise” and George Cukor ’s screwball classic stop right there, at that aforementioned quote. And you should blame it on a dispiriting script that relies too heavily on its A-list actors’ magnetic presence alone, instead of bothering with a good story that we can root for.

So let’s jump to another quote from another film. At this stage, imagine this die-hard romantic-comedy devotee, throwing her jazz hands in the air and yelling like the late William Hurt in “ A History of Violence ”: “How do you f**k that up?” Indeed, how on earth do the effortless charms of Roberts and Clooney not yield the kind of rom-com we used to routinely get in the ‘90s? The issue is the second romantic tale that unfolds around them, one that doesn’t hit a single believable note. It belongs to Lily (a delightful Kaitlyn Dever in an underwritten part), who is the abovesaid college graduate on her way to a Bali vacation, with her fun and sexually very active female sidekick, Wren ( Billie Lourd ), and an invitation to join a top-shelf law firm on her return.

Soon enough, Lily decides to get married to the handsome seaweed farmer Gede ( Maxime Bouttier ) she’s somehow rapidly fallen in love with, after the laziest meet-cute sequence imaginable. (It’s more appropriate to call that scene just plain meet and drop the cute entirely.) So instead of enjoying her time with Wren, having some wild nights out, and returning home for the bright future that awaits—you know, like any intelligent young woman of her caliber would do—Lily dedicates her entire being to Gede. There is of course nothing wrong with love at first sight in life or in movies, the kind that this critic is shamelessly in favor of, especially in cinematic contexts. But to make the massive life decision of marriage and deciding to stay in Bali for it on a whim? Even the rugged ice harvester Kristoff of “ Frozen ” laughed at this idea: “You mean to tell me you got engaged to someone you just met that day?” And that was a Disney movie in a 19 th Century setting.

Objectively speaking, Lily doesn’t decide on the marriage that day exactly. But the film is so lacking in building the couple’s romance and chemistry that it feels like a same-day verdict. What co-writers Parker and Daniel Pipski instead do is use Lily’s storyline as an excuse to bring Clooney’s David and Roberts’ Georgia together, Lily’s parents and each other’s exes that hate one another. But the duty calls and the duo embarks on a mission to Bali to end this ridiculous fling as a pair of responsible parents.

In fairness, “Ticket to Paradise” earns some goodwill during the David-Georgia scenes and gives the two some sharp moments of squabble, several of which the film’s trailer unfortunately spoils. But the ex-couple’s sexual tension and natural ease at hating each other earn the admission price, even when the momentary bliss we feel in their presence fades away with Lily and Gede reappearing frequently and a present-day romantic interest of Georgia (played by Lucas Bravo ) taking up too much time. It would have been one thing if “Ticket to Paradise” spent some real time thinking through the young fiancés, helping us understand what makes them interesting and right for each other. But in the aftermath, you’ll be shocked at how little you’ll learn about either, apart from their vast affection for the locale they often call beautiful. Well, of course, it is beautiful because what we see is mostly a luxury resort, a fact that makes the “I understand why she likes it here” quote from the parents painfully funny when they show empathy towards Lily’s decision to stay. Doesn’t everyone like a luxury resort?

We do get to see some things outside of the resort, like the lovely grounds of Gede’s supportive family and a pair of touristic sites. But “Ticket to Paradise” seems oddly disinterested in any family dynamics or anything that has to do with Bali, save for a couple of nuptial traditions cartoonishly represented. In the world of this film, everything is background noise and an item on a list of excuses to bring George and Julia together. The saddest casualty of this disposition is Wren. But with her P.J. Soles vibes, Billie Lourd still runs with it enchantingly, committing the cardinal sin of being far more memorable than the bride herself. Perhaps in revenge, the film periodically forgets about her existence.

Bless the old-school stars Roberts and Clooney for elevating this lackluster mélange and in certain instances, even making you forget about the non-sensical film that surrounds them. But that’s hardly enough, especially if you are hoping for a homecoming for the rom-coms of yore.

In theaters today.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to  RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

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Film credits.

Ticket to Paradise (2022)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief suggestive material.

104 minutes

Julia Roberts as Georgia

George Clooney as David

Kaitlyn Dever as Lily

Maxime Bouttier as Gede

Billie Lourd as Wren

Lucas Bravo as Paul

• Daniel Pipski

Cinematographer

• Ole Bratt Birkeland
• Peter Lambert
• Lorne Balfe

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‘Ticket to Paradise’ Review: Yes, They Like Piña Coladas

George Clooney and Julia Roberts take another dip into romantic comedy with this Bali-set film.

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By Amy Nicholson

“Ticket to Paradise,” the latest vacation romp from the filmmaker Ol Parker (who penned “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” and wrote and directed “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”), is a screwball adventure that forgets to pack the laughs. Having made a mint off his picturesque travelogues of Jaipur and Greece, Parker — who never met a mosquito that wasn’t edited out in post — now concocts a fantasyland Bali where an American law school graduate named Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) falls in love with a dimpled kelp farmer (Maxime Bouttier) and agrees to marry him one month after he quite literally fishes her from the sea.

The script by Parker and Daniel Pipski has scrubbed away any apprehensions concerning economics, education or class. (Lily’s intended, Gede, lives in a well-appointed beach hut filled with leather-bound books.) Nevertheless, Lily’s engagement proves to be the one thing able to unite her estranged parents David and Georgia (George Clooney and Julia Roberts), who hop on a plane to prevent the wedding. Any apprehensions the audience might have concerning the plot are confirmed during this flight sequence where the spiteful exes discover that not only are they stuck in the same seat row, but Georgia’s current boyfriend, a puppyish Frenchman (Lucas Bravo), is — surprise! — the pilot.

Such contrivances (and the even more ludicrous ones to follow) could work if the comedy vibrated on the edge of mania, if Roberts had a jolt of Katharine Hepburn’s wackadoo electricity or if Clooney’s Clark Gable-esque grin allowed him to convincingly grab a spear and hunt a wild pig when he hasn’t eaten since lunch. But these stars are too aware that the film’s draw is simply seeing the two of them together. Roberts and Clooney wear their stature like sweatpants, rousing themselves to do little more than spit insults like competitive siblings. They’re selling their own comfortable rapport, not their characters’ romantic tension.

When Parker needs to project that Roberts is steaming mad, he puts a clothes steamer in her hand so she can deliver her gripes between gusts of hot air. Dever, a major talent who will likely win her own Oscar someday, is too earnest to commit to inanity, while the marvelous Billie Lourd — the one cast member who can execute the tone — is squandered in a bit part where her sole personality trait is being drunk.

Eventually, the film succumbs to the actors’ delusion that they’re in a sincere dramedy where people also conveniently get bitten by poisonous snakes. The score shifts from playful flutes to somber piano chords; the lighting remains golden, bathing the actors in an apricot glow at the expense of forcing half the movie to take place at sunrise or sunset.

Locals know best whether Parker’s depiction of Balinese nuptials is accurate. (This critic is so far unable to confirm the rite where a bride taps her bare foot three times on a coconut.) The more authentic custom may be when David and Georgia resurrect their old college ritual: beer pong. It’s the film’s best scene as the soundtrack blasts House of Pain’s “Jump Around” at such a volume that there’s no emphasis on dialogue, only the visual delight of Julia Roberts and George Clooney goofing around.

Ticket to Paradise Rated PG-13 for strong language and a mild suggestion of sexuality. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.

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‘Ticket to Paradise’ Review: Julia Roberts and George Clooney Contemplate a Second Chance at Love in an Old-Fashioned Rom-Com

Star power and glossy visuals save the day in a slender piece of silliness set in Bali.

By Richard Kuipers

Richard Kuipers

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Opening in much of Europe, South America and Australia long before its North American release on Oct. 21, “Ticket” is the kind of lightweight entertainment that nowadays would frequently bypass cinemas and go straight to streaming platforms. With its powerhouse central duo radiating charm even when the direction lacks panache and the dialogue isn’t that funny, this ultra-formulaic concoction should still attract large crowds to its theatrical run. Looking and sounding like it could have been made 20 or 30 years ago, “Ticket” may not contain that much sparkling and sophisticated wit — or indeed many big belly laughs — but delivers sufficient smiles and chuckles to register as an easily enjoyable if unmemorable diversion for audiences seeking simple escapist entertainment.

Taking a basic cue from the “Philadelphia Story” school of comedies about divorced couples giving it another shot, director Ol Parker (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” writer of “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) and co-writer Daniel Pipski position David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts) as a husband and wife that had it all for five brief years. That was before the lakeside house David built for them burnt to the ground and their happiness went up in smoke with it.

Complicating matters is the unexpected arrival of Georgia’s younger boyfriend, Paul (a thankless role for “Emily in Paris” star Lucas Bravo), an airline pilot. An awkward type who practically worships Georgia, the handsome flyboy unsurprisingly proposes marriage just when the plot demands another distraction to keep David and Georgia apart until rom-com convention determines they’re ready to start looking at each other with new and besotted eyes. 

There’s plenty of zingy repartee in early sequences showing the cantankerous divorcees declaring a truce in order to prevent Lily making what they’re certain will be a huge mistake. Naturally that’s before they’ve even met the hubby-in-waiting, but that’s beside the point and nothing less than sabotaging the nuptials will suffice in such an emergency.

Central to the appeal of rom-coms is the fact that everyone can guess the ending. Their success depends on the timing and execution of funny quips and situations en route to familiar and comforting affirmations of love and romance. After getting off to a promising start, “Ticket to Paradise” never exactly nosedives — that would be just about impossible with Clooney and Roberts in the frame — but often struggles to make the most of a setup that seems ripe for the comic misunderstandings, zany shenanigans and crossed wires that underpin this genre.

Whether David and Georgia are enacting their pretty dumb plans to steal the wedding rings and sow doubt in Gede’s mind, or engineering travel and transport mishaps that will throw arrangements into chaos, the film moves along well enough but rarely hits comic high notes or gathers the momentum to sweep audiences up in the mayhem. David’s unfortunate encounter with a dolphin, or a hotel room switcheroo after Paul’s sudden arrival, are further examples of moments that could have been fashioned into laugh riots but end up as gently amusing instead.

When Parker gets his groove on, the picture rocks, such as the sequence in which Clooney and Roberts bust so-bad-they’re-good dance moves to C+C Music Factory’s ’90s floor-filler “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” at a bar after one too many beer pong games. That’s about as raunchy and wild as it gets in a very PG-13 picture that never even suggests anyone’s having sex before — or even after — marriage.

It’s also good to see Balinese culture and days-long wedding rituals being accurately and respectfully depicted, as the final moment of romantic truth comes closer for the young couple and the parents of the bride-to-be. Filmed primarily in the Whitsunday Islands off northern Australia owing to Covid-19 restrictions making location shooting in Bali impossible, “Ticket” is truly given the look of paradise in the beautifully polished widescreen images of DP Ole Bratt Birkeland (“Judy”). The Aussie duo of production designer Owen Paterson (“The Matrix”) and costumer Lizzy Gardiner (“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”) also make fine contributions toward creating of a place that seems a million miles away from all the worries of the world. For a slightly overlong 104 minutes, that’s a place many viewers will be happy enough to visit.

Reviewed at Event Cinemas George St., Sydney, Sept. 13, 2022. Running time: 104 MIN.

• Production: A Universal Pictures release and presentation of a Working Title production in association with Smokehouse, Red Om Films. Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Sarah Harvey, Deborah Balderstone. Executive producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Julia Roberts, Lisa Roberts Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill, Amelia Granger, Sarah-Jane Robinson, Sam Thompson, Jennifer Cornwell.
• Crew: Director: Ol Parker. Screenplay: Parker, Daniel Pipski. Camera: Ole Bratt Birkeland. Editor: Peter Lambert. Music: Lorne Balfe.
• With: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd, Maxime Bouttier, Lucas Bravo, Cyntia Dharmayanti, Genevieve Lemon, Ilma Nurfauzia, Agung Pindha, Ifa Barry, Dorian Djoudi, Romy Poulier, Charles Allen, Francis McMahon, Sean Lynch, Arielle Carver-O'Neill (English, Balinese dialogue)
• Music By: Lorne Balfe

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Review: ‘Ticket to Paradise’ has Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and that’s enough

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Like we needed any additional proof, but the breezy new romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise” confirms that Julia Roberts and George Clooney still look great in the air, on dry land or out at sea; wearing formalwear, swimsuits and wetsuits; bickering, bantering and burying the hatchet.

A sleepless night in a humid jungle cannot defeat Roberts’ iconic hair or mess with Clooney’s perfectly maintained scruff. Likewise, a movie mostly absent of surprises and character details cannot fully vanquish the appeal of seeing these two movie stars at a time when the viability of both movies and stars has come into question. At one point, their characters are called dinosaurs. Part of the appeal of “Ticket to Paradise” is seeing Roberts and Clooney together before they — and this type of glossy studio entertainment — become extinct.

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Morbid? Hey, we’re all getting older. Even Clooney’s sandpaper stubble is now sometimes hard to pick up, its color more salt than pepper. But I’m not being grim so much as leaning into the wistful tone of “Ticket to Paradise,” which has its leads musing about missed opportunities and reminiscing about their younger days when they lived by the adage “Why save the good stuff for later?”

When the film begins, the good stuff between Georgia (Roberts) and David (Clooney) appears to be in the distant rearview mirror. We’re introduced to these characters as director Ol Parker (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”), who wrote the film with Daniel Pipski, cuts between them recalling how they met and impulsively married 25 years ago. Their accounts differ. “Her parents thought she was too young,” David remembers. Georgia’s take? “They thought he wasn’t good enough for me.”

But again … distant rearview mirror. Georgia and David divorced 20 years ago for reasons, we learn, they themselves don’t seem to truly understand. That hasn’t stopped them from fashioning a festering animosity over the course of two decades, so much so that their daughter, Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), can’t bring herself to tell them that they’ll be seated next to each other at her college graduation. Good thing they’ll never have to see each other again, right? Right???

Plot mechanics necessitate a reunion, and we get one after Lily heads to Bali with her BFF, Wren (Billie Lourd), and decides to marry the first local seaweed farmer she meets, Gede (Maxime Bouttier). Mom and Dad pack their resortwear, call a truce and agree to a strategy: They’ll outwardly support their daughter’s plans, all the while sabotaging the wedding so the youngsters don’t make the same mistake that they made all those years ago.

Roberts has experience in this sort of thing, of course, having schemed to break up Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney 25 years ago (!) in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” This movie is not as good as that rom-com classic , which featured a peak Rupert Everett and a subversive screenplay that wasn’t afraid to shade Roberts as a villain, albeit one you still rooted for. (Mostly. Maybe?)

“Ticket to Paradise” doesn’t invest enough time or energy into the young lovers for you to care whether or not they make it to the altar. This movie is all about beautiful people, gorgeous scenery and the elders rekindling their romance, with the primary obstacles on that front being Georgia’s annoyingly adoring French boyfriend (the appealing Lucas Bravo from “Emily in Paris”) and the time it takes for them to realize their biggest mistake wasn’t their marriage, but their divorce.

But, if you’ve seen the movie’s trailer (or even if you haven’t), you probably know all that. Just as you know that Roberts’ unbridled laugh remains one of the great pleasures of film and that Clooney can play awkward dorkiness just as convincingly as suave elegance. If “Top Gun: Maverick’s” secret weapon was Tom Cruise going Mach 10, “Ticket to Paradise” attains its peak with Roberts and Clooney playing a fierce game of beer pong while silly dancing around to House of Pain .

Dinosaurs? Maybe. But let’s hope the asteroid doesn’t hit for a while.

'Ticket to Paradise'

Rated: PG-13, for some strong language and brief suggestive material Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes Playing: Starts Oct. 21 in general release

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Ticket to Paradise review: Julia Roberts and George Clooney ride a slow boat to midlife romance

They play divorcees bickering their way through Bali in Ol Parker's shiny, anodyne comedy.

Leah Greenblatt is the critic at large at Entertainment Weekly , covering movies, music, books, and theater. She is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle, and has been writing for EW since 2004.

Their hair is still glorious; their teeth gleam like satellites. It's the rom-coms that got small, not these monolithic movie stars, and Ticket to Ride (in theaters Friday) is apparently the best that 2022 could conjure for two of the genre's last unicorns: an antic wisp of sun-soaked shenanigans, as light and vaporous as a Bali breeze.

That's actually where the story lands after a brief, pained exposition: Divorced for two decades, L.A. gallerist Georgia ( Julia Roberts ) and architect David ( George Clooney ) are happy to interact as little as possible beyond the one good thing their union produced, a daughter named Lily ( Dopesick 's Kaitlyn Dever ). She's a smart, sweet kid, a newly minted law-school graduate off to Indonesia with her best friend ( Billie Lourd ) for a little post-grad Rumspringa before real life begins. And then, something like 37 days later, she's in love — engaged to a local Bali boy (Maxime Bouttier), and ready to shed her career plans for a life as a seaweed farmer's wife.

Cue the parental freakout; soon Georgia and David are on a plane, united in their determination to stop Lily from making their same matrimonial mistakes, even if they can hardly stand to share an armrest. Will they bicker endlessly? With pleasure. Will there be pratfalls and misunderstandings? Uncountable. Might they fall in love all over again? Oh, hush your mouth. Director Ol Parker , who also cowrote the screenplay with Daniel Pipski, is probably best known as the man behind 2018's musical fizz-supreme Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , and he gives Ticket that same kind of Technicolor gloss, minus the spangled jumpsuits and the ABBA soundtrack (though Roberts does seem to wear a lot of rompers here).

The movie's set pieces are stacked with luxe location shots, like Nancy Meyers with a passport, and broad, mugging comedy spills from every scene. Snake bites, lost boats, romantic betrayal; it's all treated with the same weight, which is to say none at all. Emily in Paris star Lucas Bravo is game and très français as Georgia's adoring airline-pilot boyfriend, and Lourd does what she can with a girl whose main character notes seem to be "kooky alcoholic." Bouttier, as Lily's dreamboat fiancé, has dime-sized dimples and few other distinguishing characteristics — though his extended family do get several buoyant scenes, mostly in the service of innocuous culture-clash punchlines.

That leaves Clooney and Roberts to do the heavy lifting on a script that might easily float away without their movie-star force field to hold it in place. The dialogue aims for snappy His Girl Friday -style repartee, though it more often lands on sitcom; the jokes — isn't marriage just a drag ? — are calibrated to reach the cheap seats, and so is the sentiment. The pair's chemistry feels more familial than romantic, really, but the power of their twined charisma seems like it should have its own collective noun: a pizzazz of mass appeal, a glamour of enchantment. There's no doubt both actors deserve sharper, less silly material than this, but when they're playing beer pong in a Bali bar and drunkenly pogo-ing to House of Pain's "Jump Around," Paradise is almost, for a moment, a place on Earth. Grade: C+

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• Julia Roberts says the Clooney family saved her from 'complete loneliness and despair' while filming Ticket to Paradise
• Inside the lush locations of Julia Roberts and George Clooney's fizzy rom-com Ticket to Paradise
• Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again : The story behind 'When I Kissed the Teacher'
• George Clooney and Julia Roberts are exes plotting against their daughter in Ticket to Paradise trailer

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‘ticket to paradise’ review: julia roberts and george clooney reunite in a frothy, flawed rom-com.

The stars play a long-divorced couple who come together to stop their daughter from getting married in this Bali-set romantic comedy from Ol Parker.

By Leslie Felperin

Leslie Felperin

Contributing Film Critic

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It’s a foolhardy plan to craft a film almost entirely around the onscreen chemistry between two movie stars and hope for the best. But when those stars are George Clooney and Julia Roberts , the combustive power of their pairing will go a long-ish way. Thinly scripted rom-com Ticket to Paradise puffs its way through 104 minutes mostly on the vapors of its lead actors gassing around together, albeit with an assist from spectacular Australian scenery standing in for Bali.

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That is literally pretty much the plot of this movie. Roberts and Clooney are cast as Georgia and David, a couple who were married 25 years ago, had a daughter named Lily ( Kaitlyn Dever ) and then split up after five years. So supposedly toxic is their antipathy to one another that they can’t even be in the same zip code at the same time.

And yet the script (by the film’s director Ol Parker and co-writer Daniel Pipski) contrives to seat them next to each other at a series of events, like a mischievous deus ex machina with little imagination but magical command over seating placements. First, it’s at Lily’s graduation from university in Chicago, where they compete over who loves Lily more. Then, it’s on a plane to Bali after they’ve been invited to attend Lily’s wedding, the young woman having fallen in love with Bali-native Gede (Maxime Bouttier), a seaweed farmer.

Georgia and David say they don’t want Lily to make a bad life choice at the same age they were when they got married. But the film also keeps stressing how wealthy and successful the two are given that they can afford first-class airline seats and a swanky hotel, and so on. It’s as if the film wants to revel in all the markers of white privilege and American hegemony but then pretend that none of that stuff really matters to the main characters; they just want what’s best for their daughter. (Also, does anyone on the planet own as many jumpsuits and playsuits as we see Roberts’ Georgia sporting throughout in her cruise capsule collection?)

This is exactly the kind of self-delusion about income inequality and post-colonialism that was skewered so cruelly and effectively in TV’s The White Lotus recently, among many other like-minded entertainments. But Ticket to Paradise plays Georgia and David’s efforts to sabotage Lily’s wedding so she’ll call it off like it’s some frothy screwball comedy plot from the 1940s. Except Parker (best known for writing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and directing Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ) is no Howard Hawks or Preston Sturges, and the dialogue here is all mumbling and grunting compared to the bickering lovers’ backchat in classics like His Girl Friday or My Man Godfrey .

Perhaps the film’s by-the-numbers predictability will be a help and not a hindrance, especially for an older demographic that’s just simply thrilled to see Roberts smiling while she tries to ruin another wedding, Clooney twinkling his eyes and cocking his head quizzically like he’s been doing since ER . They both do those things so well, and who minds a little nostalgic wallow now and again, especially with actors like these two, aging as gracefully as a pair of migratory birds?

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Ticket to Paradise review – George Clooney and Julia Roberts go heavy on the goof

Double act have some silly fun as a couple sizzling with mutual irritation who head to Bali to sabotage their daughter’s marriage

G eorge Clooney goes into his goofy comedy routine in this feelmoderate romcom from director and co-writer Ol Parker: an intergenerational tale of Crazy Rich Americans going to a wedding. Clooney brings some serious goof: he does his goofy face and the goof is onstream more or less from the outset. This may be to the unease of those who like him in a more sophisticated low-key style, such as in Ocean’s Eleven or Up in the Air, or those who look to the Coens to rein in and shape his broader comedy tendencies, as in O Brother, Where Art Thou? or Intolerable Cruelty.

Clooney plays David, a prosperous man in middle age who is divorced from high-flying art dealer Georgia; this is Julia Roberts . They were college sweethearts who got married way too early and split unhappily after the birth of their only child. But now, despite their sizzling mutual irritation, they must come together to attend the college graduation of their daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), who has learned to suffer her parents’ undignified outbursts and immature tantrums with each other. Lily then heads off for a much-deserved holiday in Bali with her friend Wren (Billie Lourd), and there meets and falls in love with local seaweed farmer Gede (Maxime Bouttier). David and Georgia are horrified to receive the wedding invitation and agree on a cessation of hostilities to head out there, on a secret mission to sabotage this hasty marriage and save Lily from the same mistake they made.

There are one or two likably silly and daft moments in this film. Lucas Bravo (from Emily in Paris) has an amusing small part as Paul, the smoothie French airline pilot that Georgia is now dating and who – to David’s intense chagrin – is flying them to Bali. And it’s sweet when Georgia and David get drunk with the young couple and insist on playing beer pong in the street and doing embarrassing mum- and dad-dancing to some tunes from yesteryear. But I couldn’t help thinking that Nancy Meyers (the master of this kind of thing) would have created more dialogue, more situational intrigue, more comedy, and might have reined in Clooney. But Roberts’ part is within her skillset and Dever is fine also – although the latter’s performance in Olivia Wilde’s comedy Booksmart showed what she can do with a properly funny script. And it’s a shame that there wasn’t more for Lourd’s character to do.

Ticket to Paradise may well do great business to those looking for some escapist fun, and that’s entirely understandable. But I found the wacky double-act of George and Julia slightly hard work.

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• Julia Roberts

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Ticket To Paradise Review

16 Sep 2022

Ticket To Paradise

Over the last decade, filmmaker Ol Parker has made a name for himself by taking A-list stars, sending them to an idyllic holiday destination, and having them explore matters of life and love. The writer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, and writer-director of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , applies the same basic principles to Ticket To Paradise – a rare, throwbacky major-studio romcom that boasts beautiful people in beautiful places as its main raison d’être, while sneaking in deeper notions around familial expectations and intergenerational differences.

This time, the beautiful people are George Clooney and Julia Roberts – teaming up for the fifth time on the big screen, a double-whammy of movie star mega-wattage – as divorcées David and Georgia, a couple whose acrimonious split finds them only able to (just about) communicate when it concerns their daughter Lily ( Kaitlyn Dever ). The beautiful place is Bali, where Lily has gone travelling with best friend Wren ( Billie Lourd , in a welcome Booksmart reunion with Dever) after finishing her law degree – before swiftly getting engaged to dashing Balinese guy Gede (Maxime Bouttier), much to her parents’ concern. Remembering how their own idealised connection collapsed under real-life strains, they set out to thwart Lily’s nuptials. What are the chances that their own spark might reunite in the process?

Clooney and Roberts display all-out charisma both in their snippy sniping, and when in cahoots with one another.

If you never doubt for a second where Ticket To Paradise is going, the journey there is solidly constructed. The traditional rom and com elements are present and correct, the script peppered with the kinds of humourous antics and goofy setpieces the genre demands: a mission to steal the loved-up couple’s rings; a parents-vs-kids beer pong match with the beer substituted for a local eye-watering spirit; perilous encounters with violent dolphins and a venomous snake. But as with his previous work, Parker – who co-writes with Daniel Pipski, as well as directing – brings in a solid amount of character drama too, affording time to explore why David and Georgia’s love crashed and burned so spectacularly, fleshing out Lily and Gede’s maybe-not-that-crazy-after-all romantic connection, and building in believable concerns about history threating to repeat itself.

That level of substance means that Ticket To Paradise isn’t quite the all-out screwball jaunt that the trailers present – and though depth to the characterisation is welcome, it feels at odds with moments of artificiality in the filmmaking. This is a film where Roberts emerges with salon-fresh hair after a night out in a Balinese jungle, and where – for all the golden beaches of Australia, where it was filmed – a number of shots feel oddly-lit and composited, the actors visually disconnected from their lavish environment. Plus, its wilful propensity for cheese – particularly a final freeze-frame – occasionally veers into unintended comedy.

But the real draw of Ticket To Paradise is the bickering, bubbling chemistry of Clooney and Roberts set against sun-kissed climes – and there it absolutely delivers, the duo displaying all-out charisma both in their snippy sniping, and when in cahoots with one another. Their gradual reconnection becomes genuinely touching, and even though you know what’s coming, the film finds its way there effectively. If it’s not a ticket to all-out cinematic paradise, it is at least a ticket back to a genre that’s vanishingly rare on the big screen these days.

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Ticket to paradise review: roberts & clooney charm in enjoyably mediocre rom-com.

Ticket to Paradise seems too afraid to dig into the romantic aspects, but it makes up for it by being charming, sweet, and occasionally funny.

Though there has been a resurgence of romantic comedies thanks to Netflix and other streamers, rom-coms released solely to theaters are few and far between. Even Marry Me , the Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson-led rom-com, was released directly to Peacock in addition to receiving a theatrical release earlier this year. Starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney, Ticket to Paradise is reminiscent of an era long gone. Directed by Ol Parker, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Pipski, Ticket to Paradise seems too afraid to dig into the romantic aspects, but it makes up for it by being charming, sweet, and occasionally funny.

Georgia (Roberts) and David (Clooney) Cotton loathe one another. After five years of marriage, they divorced and have been living the last 25 years in relief of being away from each other. When their daughter, Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), meets Gede (Maxime Bouttier) while on vacation in Bali, their decision to get married after only a month knowing each other leads Georgia and David to Bali in a bid to stop her from making a big mistake. Lily seems happy, but Georgia and David hatch a plan to sabotage the wedding. However, their time in Bali reopens old wounds and feelings that brings them to reanalyze their relationship.

Related: Ticket To Paradise: George Clooney's 8 Best Romantic Roles, According To IMDb

Ticket to Paradise is a perfectly serviceable rom-com, leaning into certain tropes without overdoing it or lingering too long on unnecessary moments and dialogue. It has elements of Mamma Mia! and My Best Friend’s Wedding , but it’s far more diluted in execution. The humor is there, but it is aggressively toned down once Georgia and David's bickering starts to taper off — the latter is a detriment to a film that is built around their very contentious relationship, and it's dialed back far too soon. The film has a simple enough plot, one that doesn't add a lot of depth to any of the characters. The story is carried by the charisma of Clooney and Roberts, who have it in spades. The actors' charm is infectious and, even when the film could have evolved past the thin script, their banter and genuine warmth do a lot of the heavy lifting. Dever matches their energy and, though not as effusively charismatic or strong in terms of screen presence, is able to hold her own and make the most of her character's story.

Despite solid performances and Clooney and Roberts' chemistry , the film holds back on the romance itself. There is very little of it beyond a few longing looks and a heated kiss. Most of the buildup happens through conversation and reactions to Georgia's relationship with Paul (Lucas Bravo), a pilot who is the exact opposite of Clooney's David. Had Ticket to Paradise included a few more romantic scenes, it would have done wonders for the plot and the central characters' relationship, which doesn't get enough big moments. Perhaps Parker and Pipski were trying to avoid making the film too trope-y, but with Roberts and Clooney at the forefront, the film could have played it less safe.

Still, Ticket to Paradise is an overall enjoyable time at the movies. It helps that the rom-com has a gorgeous location as its setting — the beaches, sunsets, and intimate setting elevate an otherwise basic premise. The film is sentimental without going overboard, and it has sweet, heartfelt moments that are well-acted. Parker doesn’t hold onto any moment longer than need be, which prevents the story from becoming tedious. There are enough chuckle-worthy moments to buy into the initial hatred Georgia and David have for one another, but as their iciness thaws, it makes way for some genuine tenderness that will warm viewers’ hearts.

Next: The School For Good & Evil Review: A Delightful & Heartfelt Twist On Fairy Tales

Ticket to Paradise released in theaters on Friday, October 21. The film is 104 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief suggestive material.

‘Ticket to Paradise’ Review: Come for George Clooney and Julia Roberts, Stay for Not Much Else

Sometimes just having your mum like a movie is enough.

It’s okay to enjoy bad films. We all need escapism, particularly in the dreary winter months when summer has well and truly passed, but the excitement of Christmas is still beyond reach. Major movie studios know exactly this and so, they release movies at this time of the year for those too scared to go see Halloween Ends . They transport us to faraway lands with white sand and crystal clear water, where rich white people get themselves into a series of predicaments that always ends with a wedding and a resolution. Ticket to Paradise is one such film. Christ, look at the title. It promises you a tropical escape, but it's vague enough to cater to any moviegoer. Reteaming the dynamic duo of George Clooney and Julia Roberts , this is the perfect movie to go see with your mother and two aunts—as I did.

Georgia (Roberts) and David (Clooney) Cotton are a divorced couple who can't stand the sight of each other. They don't ignore each other with icy stares—they resemble antagonistic siblings, always finding a new low to sink to in order to insult the other or come out on top. They reunite for their daughter Lily’s ( Kaitlyn Dever ) graduation, and see her off to Bali for three months with her friend, Wren (a criminally underused Billie Lourd ). Two months later, they receive word that Lily will not be returning to the States to start a prosperous career as a lawyer as was planned. She is getting married to a local guy she just met and will live with him and his family in Bali. And sure enough, desperate times call for desperate measures. Georgia and David put their many, many differences aside to sabotage the wedding and make Lily see some sense. But they soon find out that maybe Lily is the only one in the family who is seeing things clearly.

Again, it is okay to enjoy movies like these. Movies catered to a certain audience with more of an eye on money than artistic integrity. But, there has to come a point when a line is drawn, and you can just acquiesce that a movie is bad. This is essentially a rom-com, but with more of a focus on family than romance. For those who think rom-com automatically means “bad,” well, I direct your attention to Bridget Jones’s Diary and When Harry Met Sally . Some rom-coms have some of the best, smartest, and wittiest scripts in all cinema. Charming humor that goes straight to the heart and makes you reeling for the lead two to end up together. Despite Roberts and Clooney’s best efforts, you’re not feeling this way as you’re watching the credits (and the bloopers) roll for Ticket to Paradise .

RELATED: Julia Roberts and George Clooney on ‘Ticket to Paradise’ & the First Thing You Should Watch If You’ve Never Seen Their Work

Ticket to Paradise really could have been produced in any year. Apart from the characters’ ways to communicate via phone etc. and a montage at the beginning of Lily and Wren’s social media posts, there’s no real indication that this is a movie of the 2020s. No reference to the social or political landscape of the world. Barely any pop culture references to place a certain zeitgeist. The movie is so far removed from the rest of the world that it creates a disconnect between itself and the audience. The only welcome sign of the times is the inclusion of a central character of color - Lily’s Indonesian fiancée, Gede ( Maxime Bouttier ). If this movie was made in the late 90s, you best believe Lily would have met a dashing Wasp boy from Connecticut who also happens to be holidaying in Bali at the exact same time!

Despite its faults, one thing is for certain: Julia Roberts and George Clooney are having the time of their lives and there has to be something said for that. So often we see big stars doing movies that pay well, but they see it as beneath them - and it’s obvious that they’re not even trying to immerse themselves in the project. Roberts and Clooney - three Oscars between them and monikers as two of the best actors working today - do not fall into this category. They give it their all. Whether it's Georgia being disgustingly cutesy with her younger pilot beau ( Emily in Paris ’s Lucas Bravo is undoubtedly the comedic highlight of the movie) or David getting hit by a CGI dolphin, the two legends are game.

Who gets caught in the wreck, sadly, is Kaitlyn Dever. Dever has proven to be an exciting part of young Hollywood with roles in Booksmart , Beautiful Boy , and her Emmy-nominated performance in Dopesick . Lily is a particularly one-note character who seems to only be there to drive the action between Clooney and Roberts. Although the entire plot is meant to be about the parents’ embracing that she is an adult who can think for herself, the script barely grants her any agency as a character. The scenes between her and Gede can become a bit too YA-leaning, with some pretty corny dialogue, but then Roberts and Clooney do a brilliant job of bringing the film back down to earth. Their ratty arguments and relentless cynicism cut through the sweetness of the movie like salt, and it’s exactly what we need when it starts to feel like the movie came out of Hallmark.

A quick word on the direction: This comes from Ol Parker who gave us Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again . While not totally dissimilar to his most recent release, Parker fails to bring the same sense of worldliness and charm that he did with the Mamma Mia sequel. The camera work feels shaky at times in Ticket to Paradise , with close-up shots lingering a bit too long. Although there are some really gorgeous shots of the Bali islands, it all feels a bit too synthetic to become fully immersed in, unlike the Greek island of Mamma Mia which feels like a character itself. There is, quite literally, so much scenery to chew on, but Parker opts to focus on human real estate instead.

Look, Ticket to Paradise is your average, white people in the sun, rom-com. Is it fine cinema? No, but that's not the right lens to look through it with. But that doesn't mean that it gets to avoid all criticism. To see Clooney and Roberts team up again when they have demonstrated in the past (the Oceans movies and Money Monster ) that they go together like rum and coke is a lot of fun, but it also makes it undeniably noticeable that they deserve better. I don't mean an Oscar-worthy dramatic biopic. But a rom-com with some nuance and wit. I can say with a lot of confidence that if it had actors that were even a smidgen less than Roberts and Clooney, the movie would be unwatchable. Ticket to Paradise , if anything, is an example of the importance of star power and how sometimes a lousy script can be swept aside for two old friends taking center stage once again. It kept my mother laughing, and it served as a nice lullaby as my two aunts dozed off - sometimes, bad movies create the best cinema experiences.

Ticket to Paradise comes to theaters on October 21.

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George Clooney and Julia Roberts might want a refund on this Ticket To Paradise

A-listers clooney and roberts are saddled with a d-list script in this rom-com about bickering exes who band together to stop their daughter's quickie marriage.

It would be easy to shrug away Ticket To Paradise as something mild and airy that goes down smooth—an easy pick for an airplane watch, or if you’re ever stuck in a hotel with basic cable. But you will find no such pussyfooting here. This movie stinks, truly stinks, and the fact that it had the component parts to be a winner makes it all the more frustrating.

George Clooney and Julia Roberts, the last among a certain kind of Hollywood A-lister, play estranged couple David and Georgia. He is an architect, or something, because we see him stomping around a construction site with a hardhat, and it’s unlikely that he’s tying steel. We see Georgia at her enormous L.A. gallery, mocking the modern art that she’s selling. (“I think it’s upside down,” she says. I believe I saw a similar gag on The Flintstones .) The point is they are both super successful, but we never see them talking about their work and they’ve got the time to disappear for a while without checking in or taking meetings or anything. I can barely do that and I write about movies on the internet, for God’s sake, that’s a notch below dog catcher.

Their daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) has just graduated from law school, so as a gift to herself before starting work at a big firm she’s taking her best pal Wren (Billie Lourd) on a trip to Bali. (Wren is bringing an enormous supply of multi-colored condoms.) While there, Lily becomes enchanted by a hunky seaweed farmer (it happens!) named Gede (Maxime Bouttier), and soon thereafter she sends a message back to her parents: I’m getting married.

While David and Georgia truly can’t stand to be in the same room together, they agree to present a united front—they will fly to Bali and try and knock some sense into their daughter. They concoct the strategy to appear to be cool with the decision, but sow seeds of doubt.

There’s nothing about this that isn’t fertile ground for a good old fashioned screwball comedy. The problem is that director Ol Parker, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Pipski, seems completely allergic to jokes. Bring a microscope with you to a screening of Ticket to Paradise and report back if you can find anything funny. Is Dever shouting “Dad, you’re embarrassing me!!” while Clooney mugs and shakes his rump to C+C Music Factory considered humor? Maybe to those who have given up on movies it is.

Clooney, it has well been established, has comedy chops, but there’s only so much he can do with no written material. He contours his voice and smirks, weaving his head to put as much spin as he can on barbs and would-be witticisms, but this gets tiresome after about 10 minutes. His zings at his ex-wife eventually paint him as an unlikable jerk. Roberts’ abundant natural charisma is lost, unfortunately, when she’s portraying just another wealthy white woman in paradise.

Kaitlyn Dever, so very funny in Booksmart , has a one-note character here: she is defined by being in love with her new boyfriend. Why? Well, he’s handsome, and he seems committed to a mellow life harvesting seaweed in a very photogenic spot. He’s also madly in love with her, but he’s got even less motivation. She’s straight-up boring, and you need to figure that vacationing college grads come in by the busloads, no? There’s nothing about her that stands out. If anything, Billie Lourd’s character has 10 times the personality (and dresses with more panache, too.) It just feels like someone sketched “they are in love” on a first draft of this screenplay and never got back around to filling it in.

The Bali of Ticket To Paradise is a joke. Most of the movie is set at a luxe resort, except for an engagement party thrown by Rege’s extended family. Here we get a surface view of Balinese culture, seen only on a beach. We see no real life. No one goes to a grocery store in this movie. There’s no depth, other than everyone is saintly. Here was an opportunity to dig in to a fascinating culture (google “Balinese monkey chant”) and present it against modernity, and we got nothing. And while it’s obvious that David and Georgia (and we, the audience) are meant to ultimately support this marriage, no one bothers to ask basic questions. What is she going to do there? Her career plans have gone from the legal world to “hanging out.” Can a couple live on love and seaweed alone?

Ticket To Paradise already opened in Europe and is doing quite well, and this year’s The Lost City , while a bit more high concept (and entertaining), shows that comedies with A-listers with advancing age can still draw people to the theater. The location photography in this one is certainly pleasant (each character has their own “I’ve never seen anything more gorgeous” moment) so the fault here really lies with the writing and direction. It’s as if everyone made this movie about the joy of being on vacation—while also taking one.

George Clooney and Julia Roberts Bring Movie Star Charm to Fluffy Rom-Com ‘Ticket to Paradise’

‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’s Ol Parker co-writes and directs an old-school comedy that fully embraces the usual cliches to mostly winning effect.

(L to R) George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Universal Pictures' 'Ticket to Paradise.'

Opening in theaters on October 21st, ‘ Ticket to Paradise ’ aims to make up for several years without a star-focused romantic comedy. And it has two major, not-so-secret weapons in Julia Roberts and George Clooney .

The film, written by Ol Parker and Daniel Pipski, and directed by Parker, is also a throwback to an earlier era of rom-com, one before the cast were even born (think 1940’s ‘ His Girl Friday ’).

‘Ticket to Paradise’ kicks off with divorced couple David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts) who begrudgingly reunite to attend daughter Lily’s ( Kaitlyn Dever ) graduation. The pair jumped into marriage 25 years ago, only for the relationship to flame out after half a decade.

Since going their separate ways, they’ve largely stayed away from each other, since their interactions tend to devolve into sniping (“worst 19 years of my life,” David cracks when Georgia mentions to someone that they used to be married. “We were only married for five,” Georgia reminds him. “I’m counting the recovery,” says David).

But when Lily and best friend Wren ( Billie Lourd ) head off to Bali to celebrate finishing college, Lily ends up meeting hunky, sweet local Gede ( Maxime Bouttier ), and decides she’s going to stay and marry him. Horrified at the idea of their genius offspring ditching a promising law career for life with a seaweed farmer, the parents agree to put aside their differences and work to stop Lily making what they see as a huge mistake – just like the one they made.

Upon arrival in Bali, though, they discover how open and agreeable Gede’s large extended family is, and, despite going through with part of their plan to curtail the wedding (George steals the rings that form a vital part of the ceremony), their time spent together on the island makes them start to reconsider their attitude – and not just to Lily’s decision.

Like a path established through a jungle, ‘Ticket to Paradise’ knows exactly where it is going and no one should be surprised by where it ends up. Frustratingly, though, there is one moment where it appears the movie will completely subvert your expectations, undercutting a particularly romantic sequence with a realization between two characters that it’ll never work before going right back to the expected denouement at the very end.

Still, the real joy in ‘Ticket’ is the journey it takes to get there and the people you meet along the way. Roberts and Clooney are, of course, screen dynamite, bringing decades of real-life friendship to the role, one that has only been exploited to full use a few times on screen before.

They’re entertaining whether they’re delivering rat-a-tat insults towards each other or trying to work together for a common goal. Though this bickering twosome could be seen as charmless complainers, the sheer likability of the pair short-circuits that.

And, though it is primarily the George-and-Julia show, the movie smartly doesn’t forget to create supporting characters who matter and recruit talented people to play them.

(L to R) George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Universal Pictures' 'Ticket to Paradise,' directed by Ol Parker. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.

Dever, who shined in ‘ Booksmart ’ and more recently in her own rom-com twist with ‘ Rosaline ’, imbues Lily with sweetness and smarts and makes you believe she is the product of these two slightly damaged people. Plus she can hold her own on the comedy front, even if she doesn’t get as much chance to. She’s ably assisted in that by Lourd, who appears to be channelling her real-life mother ( Carrie Fisher ) as the party-happy, snark-tastic Wren.

French-born Indonesian actor Bouttier, meanwhile, fits well as the Balinese local who is the object of Lily’s affections. He and his family portray local customs and attitudes without the movie using them for cheap comedic effect. They come across as actual people, not stereotypes (even if the movie was shot on Australia’s Gold Coast, more than 2,000 miles away).

And Georgia’s current beau, commercial pilot Paul ( Lucas Bravo from the recent ‘ Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris ’) also shows up to profess his undying love for her, proposing marriage at a romantic, secluded location that unfortunately also happens to be a local snake habitat.

We’ll leave you to figure out what happens there, but his storyline is perhaps one of the weaker elements of the movie, which, alongside an unexpectedly violent encounter between Clooney and a pod of dolphins represent the movie stretching to add unnecessary comic business to a movie that works better when it is letting the stars talk and not pratfall.

Still, Parker, who has made the likes of ‘ Imagine Me & You ’, ‘ Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ’ along with writing wrote both of ‘ The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ’ movies, is a past master at this genre, bringing a light touch to lightweight material.

(L to R) Director Ol Parker, Julia Roberts and George Clooney on the set of 'Ticket to Paradise.' © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The scenery’s beautiful, the time passes by, and before you know it, you’re sucked into the story of squabbling adults realizing that maybe, just maybe their daughter has this whole romance thing figured out to a far greater degree than they can ever claim.

Parker’s latest effort might not challenge the great romantic comedies of our time, but it has enough charisma and laughs to work. It’s fluffy and unchallenging, but anchored by star performances and a solid enough script, it has the goods as a rom-com.

Those after an easy date night or pick-me-up – or are interested whether Roberts and Clooney still have the chemistry after the ‘ Ocean’s movies (spoiler alert: they do), will be charmed by this one.

‘Ticket to Paradise’ proves that if you put the right pieces together, any genre can be made to work in today’s movie marketplace. It’s not perfect, by any means and the stakes are so low they could win a limbo competition, but it’s light, frothy, funny, and despite the seemingly unlikeable main duo, carries it off with aplomb.

‘Ticket to Paradise’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Ticket to Paradise

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Ticket to Paradise review: A bubbly, old-school star vehicle

“Ticket to Paradise is an overly formulaic, cliché-ridden rom-com that, thanks to Julia Roberts and George Clooney's inimitable chemistry, still has the power to put a smile on your face.”

• George Clooney and Julia Roberts' chemistry
• Fun, screwball banter
• A lush, inviting setting
• An overly predictable story
• A thinly written romantic subplot
• Forgettable supporting characters

Ticket to Paradise feels like it belongs to a bygone era, one in which romantic comedies starring two reliably charming movie stars were a dime a dozen. Twenty years ago, the film, which reunites Julia Roberts and George Clooney as a divorced couple who team up to prevent their daughter’s wedding to a man she just met, likely would have come and gone and been one of the more forgettable summer releases of its respective year. Nowadays, Ticket to Paradise feels like an undeniably refreshing change of pace from so many of the action- and superhero-centric studio releases that Hollywood puts out every year.

More than anything, the film is a potent reminder of the power of movie stars. In an era where Hollywood seems to care less and less about its actors and more and more about the spandex-covered roles they fill, Ticket to Paradise reminds us of how much joy can come from watching two people who were born to appear on a big screen get the chance to go toe-to-toe with each other. Clooney and Roberts have, notably, both retained the same undeniable charisma that made them global icons in the first place, and Ticket to Paradise , to its credit, understands how little it needs to do when its leads are actually on the screen together.

The film, which was directed by Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! filmmaker Ol Parker, doesn’t waste any time introducing its two stars, either. Through a series of overlapping scenes and quick cuts, Ticket to Paradise establishes the whirlwind romance that first brought Clooney and Roberts’ David and Georgia Cotton together, as well as the divorce that has soured their relationship ever since. By the time the film begins, David and Georgia have grown so tired of each other that they routinely call their daughter, Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), in order to make sure they won’t be seated together at any of her school events.

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David and Georgia agree to temporarily put aside the grudges they hold against each other, however, when they learn that Lily has decided to abandon her post-college dream of becoming a lawyer in order to marry Gede (Maxime Bouttier), a seaweed farmer she meets while on vacation in Bali. Determined to prevent their daughter from jumping into the same kind of marriage that they did, David and Georgia begin plotting to secretly sabotage Lily and Gede’s wedding.

Odds are you already know where Ticket to Paradise ’s plot goes from there. To say that the film’s script, which Parker co-wrote with Daniel Pipski, doesn’t reinvent the rom-com wheel would be an understatement. The film itself often feels like an amalgamation of every rom-com trope and cliché, and many of its minor gags are nothing more than slightly new iterations of jokes that a million other Hollywood comedies have already done. Consequently, while Roberts and Clooney are frequently able to inject infectiously playful energy into Ticket to Paradise ’s otherwise stale script, the appeal of the film greatly declines whenever it cuts away from David and Georgia’s habitual bickering.

The romance between Dever’s Lily and Bouttier’s Gede, in particular, falls totally flat. The pair’s relationship is sketched so thinly that it’s impossible to become emotionally invested in their wedding, which causes major problems in Ticket to Paradise ’s third act when Parker and Pipski attempt to make it the film’s key source of drama. While Dever and Bouttier are both charming performers, their chemistry isn’t powerful enough to enliven Lily and Gedes’ few scenes together.

Dever, specifically, feels miscast in a role that lacks the kind of edge that has helped many of her previous characters and performances stand out. (This year’s Romeo & Juliet riff, Rosaline , gives Dever far more to do in a similarly lovestruck role.) The film’s overreliance on Roberts and Clooney’s abilities also results in a number of clunky scenes in which both David and Georgia are asked to give unnecessary, exposition-laden monologues.

Had these scenes starred anyone other than Clooney and Roberts, they’d be near-unwatchable. However, even with two of the most formidable movie stars of the past 30 years taking turns in the driver’s seat, the scenes themselves still land with a dull thud. In its third act, Ticket to Paradise also makes the unfortunate mistake of replacing the bitter antagonism present in David and Georgia’s relationship with a shared, disappointingly straightforward romanticism. The final minutes of Ticket to Paradise , in other words, see the film shed most of the humor and tension that made it so appealing in the first place.

Despite all these flaws, Ticket to Paradise still emerges as a bubbly and breezy rom-com. Its most appealing parts may be its most obvious, but the film wisely chooses to lean into its place as an old-school star vehicle rather than trying to buck against it. In doing so, Ticket to Paradise lets Clooney and Roberts prove, once again, what Hollywood is missing out on by abandoning the rom-com genre and leaving it to die, slowly but surely, on the industry’s various streaming services .

It’s for that reason, in fact, that it ultimately doesn’t matter how frequently Ticket to Paradise feels like it exists solely so that Roberts and Clooney could go on vacation together. That may very well have been how the project came together, but at least, in doing so, Clooney and Roberts have given us a new rom-com that feels like it deserves to be seen on a big screen, rather than only half-watched on a streaming service in the middle of the afternoon.

Ticket to Paradise hits theaters on Friday, October 21.

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‘ticket to paradise’ review: julia roberts and george clooney lead rotten rom-com.

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The minimum expectations for a romantic comedy are as follows: to be romantic and comedic.

But “Ticket to Paradise,” starring power duo Julia Roberts and George Clooney, doesn’t meet those basic criteria for a jolly time. Instead, the flimsy film settles for being attractive and deeply uncomfortable. 

TICKET TO PARADISE

Running time: 104 minutes. Rated PG-13 (some strong language and brief suggestive material). In theaters Oct. 21.

In the cringey first 20 minutes of the movie, for example, a father named David (Clooney) advises his daughter’s Balinese fiancé not to have kids with her because the bride’s ambitions will force her to abandon her family. Ba-dum-ching!

Then, in the next scene, her mother, Georgia (Roberts), pickpockets the wedding rings from the ring bearer to sabotage the ceremony and throws them in her purse. Hilarious!  

These cruel schemers, who mock Balinese culture and traditions the entire movie, are supposed to be a nostalgic throwback to beloved 1990s rom-coms. And seeing Dr. Ross and Erin Brockovich together does indeed summon those warm and fuzzy memories of Madonna’s “Ray of Light” and prepping for Y2K. That’s the extent of our enjoyment, though. The rest of this tropical island hop is rough waters.

Georgia and David are a long-divorced couple who team up to stop Lily’s (Kaitlyn Dever) nuptials because she met her husband-to-be just 37 days earlier during a vacation in Bali, while celebrating graduation from law school. Lily has decided to give up her career to marry a handsome local seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier).

Her parents may loathe each other, but they are determined to not let Lily make the same mistake they did.

Director and co-writer Ol Parker’s film tries too hard to balance our sympathy for both couples. David and Georgia understandably feel that their daughter is jumping into a marriage  — and faraway new country — too quickly. Many parents would feel skittish about that. But Lily and Gede are unfailingly sweet, young and optimistic, and we’re not itching for them to break up either. It’s an onslaught of compassion.

Weirdly for this wishy-washy star vehicle, though, nobody ends up being particularly likable.

The older, divorced couple is too mean and their antics are not funny enough. Mom and dad could commit horrible acts if they make us laugh, like Robert De Niro did to Ben Stiller with his wicked CIA machinations in “Meet the Parents.” But Georgia and David are, to put it simply, joyless jackasses.

Roberts, actually, has fought to break up a marriage before, much more successfully, in 1997’s “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” That comedy made us adore her character Jules and we wanted her to defeat Cameron Diaz’s ditzy Kimmy. Here, we root for nobody. 

That’s because the young lovers aren’t believably in love. They are pancake-flat characters — probably since the director is afraid to give them too much screen time because of Roberts and Clooney’s paychecks — and they don’t grab our hearts.

There are two passable ploys to get giggles. 

Billie Lourd plays Wren, Lily’s hot mess best friend who travels with her to Bali. Wren isn’t wild enough, however, and her jokes drip, drip, drip out of the faucet. Lourd, a fantastic actress, is much funnier than the shoddy material she’s been handed.

And Lucas Bravo, who plays the sexy chef on “Emily In Paris,” is Georgia’s bumbling French pilot boy toy. He is un peu funny.

But what’s absolutely hysterical is Roberts’ hair. When the quartet gets stranded on an island, Georgia sleeps against a log in the woods. When she wakes up, her locks are immaculate, touched only by curlers and skilled technicians, not the harsh elements.

“Ticket to Paradise” would be a better time if it was as campy as its lead actress’ frozen hair.

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Ticket to Paradise (United States/United Kingdom, 2022)

Ticket to Paradise is a frothy concoction that will appeal to those whose movie-loving sensibilities are anchored to the rom-coms of the 1980s and 1990s. Had this movie been made 25 years ago, it likely would have been hailed for its whimsy, for the chemistry exhibited between leads George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and for the repartee that characterizes the best of their interactions. Those things remain true in 2022 but audiences have moved on from the genre, which is marooned on Lifetime TV and Netflix. Although this features high wattage stars, it represents a curiously anachronistic attempt at escapist fare.

Clooney and Roberts are great together, which isn’t unexpected. Both are Oscar-winners on merit and there was an era when each could command the heftiest of paychecks. In recent years, they have scaled back their acting engagements but, despite doing so, they have retained their ability to captivate audiences. Unfortunately, there’s not much to Ticket to Paradise beyond their mutual charisma. Essentially, this is the story of how two ex-spouses rediscover the things about their relationship that brought them together in the first place. There’s not a lot more to it than that.

If Ticket to Paradise had been all about the two stars, it would have been fine, but it’s not and therein lies the problem. The Clooney/Roberts dynamic is too frequently interrupted by another plotline – a dull, unimaginative clunker of a love story between Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) and her fiancé Gede (Maxime Bouttier). Every narrative thread featuring these two characters reeks of artifice. It’s the catalyst for bringing the divorced couple together (their parting wasn’t amicable and things haven’t gotten better during the intervening years) and plunking them down in “paradise” a.k.a. Bali (which is actually Queensland, Australia).

Watching Ol Parker’s tepid film provides a lesson in the still-potent currency of movie stardom. Replace Clooney and Roberts with two lesser-known (and lesser) actors and no one would consider seeing Ticket to Paradise because it wouldn’t be worth the price of admission (even if it was free). Rom-coms are heavily dependent on the chemistry between actors and the Clooney/Roberts combo can conjure sparks out of thin air. Their snarky combativeness is believable when it needs to be and their growing renewed affection is equally palpable.

Parker’s goal with Ticket to Paradise isn’t to re-invent the romantic comedy for a 2020 audience but, even with the more modest intention of offering a throw-back, he doesn’t succeed as well as he should have. He’s got the right actors and the perfect setting (Queensland makes for a beautiful Bali stand-in). All he’s missing is a good screenplay. And, despite having the magic that that comes from pairing movie maestros, he can’t conjure greatness (or even competency) out of the pages that tell this disappointing tale.

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I tried the luxury movie-theater chain Cinépolis. The premium perks didn't outweigh the huge drawbacks that come with them.

• I'm a frequent moviegoer who tried out the luxury movie-theater chain Cinépolis for the first time. 
• The ticket wasn't that expensive, but the food and service charges seemed a bit pricey.
• The table-side service was convenient, but it got super distracting throughout the whole movie. 

Last year I went to the movies over 60 times.

I usually see them at my local theater chain, AMC, but with fewer American adults going to the movies these days — less than before the coronavirus pandemic — some chains are pulling out all of the stops to draw people in.

And Cinép olis , a theater chain that offers a "luxury movie-going" experience, recently caught my eye.

It's been around since 1971 and is currently one of the biggest movie-theater chains in the world , with over 800 locations worldwide.

Here's what it was like to visit for the first time — and why I'm not sure I'll be back.

Purchasing my ticket online was pretty easy

I wanted to see "Drive-Away Dolls" since it was the week of its release, but the Cinépolis near me didn't have screenings available. It was available at my local AMC, but Cinépolis has about half the screens, so it can't show every movie in theaters.

Instead, I went with my second choice: "Bob Marley: One Love."

I bought my ticket on the Cinépolis site on Friday afternoon for a showing that night. After I selected my movie and showtime, I chose the seat I wanted and paid for my ticket. Plenty of seats were available.

After fees and taxes, my $17 ticket cost just over $20. I'd expected it to cost a bit more since it was for a "luxury" experience — and a ticket to a regular screening at my local AMC around the same time would've cost $21.

I arrived early since wasn't able to order food or drinks in advance

When I arrived, I had the QR code for my ticket pulled up on my phone.

But I didn't see anyone at the entrance of the theater, so I walked right in without having my ticket scanned. Maybe sneaking into showings isn't a huge concern for employees since you must reserve a specific seat.

I got to the theater about 30 minutes before showtime, which is when movie previews actually begin.

Before the previews, Cinépolis showed advertisements for local businesses, movie trivia, and info about the theater.

I thought it was nice that ads were for local places instead of big brands and massive corporations, which is the norm at other chains I visit.

The lounge seats recline all the way back for ultimate comfort

The theater had leather lounge chairs that reclined way back to an almost lying-down position. I was able to put my feet all the way up.

Notably, there was only one button to control the reclining levels of the seats.

There's no way to have your feet down but your seat back at Cinépolis — it's all or nothing. At my local AMC, I can control the recline of the footrest and chair back separately, which makes for a more comfortable experience.

The seats are also set up in pairs and you can lift the armrest in between them. I thought this was a nice touch for couples.

Service came to me with the touch of a button

At Cinépolis, there's no concession stand — the server assigned to your seat takes your order and delivers any food or drinks you request.

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They put your card on file during your first order and can be called to your seat throughout the movie at the touch of a button.

Unfortunately, the button for my seat was completely missing. I had to use the button for the seat next to me, which wasn't a huge issue.

I wonder what would have happened had someone else been seated there and I didn't have access to a button at all.

There were high-quality food and drink options, but the prices seemed high to me

I could order cocktails, beers, full entrées, desserts, or just snacks.

Many of the options sounded of restaurant quality. I saw lobster grilled cheese, rib-eye sandwiches, burgers, and even grain bowls. The prices also seemed like what you might find at a restaurant, with most dishes between $15 and $20.

Popcorn ($10.50) and soft drinks ($8.50) include free refills throughout the movie.

The fish and chips I'd planned on ordering weren't available, so I went with chicken tenders and fries for $15.50. I also got popcorn.

The chicken tenders tasted high quality, and the fries were crisp and delicious. When I ran out of ketchup, it was easy to call my server and ask for more.

But I still felt the prices seemed a bit high for what I got.

Although it came with unlimited refills, my soda was about $9, and there was only one size available. If you didn't get at least one refill, you wouldn't be drinking your money's worth.

The same thing applies to the bottomless popcorn — it's awesome if you really plan to chow down, but not a great value if you're not.

Lastly, at Cinépolis, you also have to factor in a tip for your server. I did a typical 20%. I could see how a date night or family outing at Cinépolis could get pretty expensive very quickly.

The on-demand service distracted me throughout the movie

It's pretty awesome to get a soda refill halfway through a movie without leaving your seat. However, it's not awesome to listen to the couple next to you order another round of popcorn during the middle of a pivotal movie scene.

The servers were also carrying around tablets with incredibly bright screens, which was distracting once the movie began and the theater got dark.

I found the movie wasn't super loud, perhaps because moviegoers need to be able to communicate with their server during the showing. I kind of missed the seat-shaking intensity I usually experience at movies.

It was also distracting to see so many people using their phone flashlights to examine their food and drinks as they got delivered in the middle of the movie.

About 45 minutes before the movie ended, servers brought out checks. This is usually a pretty high-stakes point in a movie and probably the worst possible time for staff to walk up and down the aisles of the theater, closing tabs and asking people if they need to-go boxes for their food.

That said, the near-constant presence of staff seemed to come with one perk: less bad behavior.

It seemed moviegoers were more likely to behave with theater employees walking around. No one talked during the whole movie, nor did anyone spend most of it taking flash photos of the screen (I've seen both many times).

But this also means it's much more difficult to commit some more beloved movie-theater sins , like sneaking in your own drinks and snacks.

Cinépolis would be great without other attendees, but I'll stick to AMC for now

Cinépolis stood out with its high-quality food and bottomless soft drinks and popcorn, but the table-side service didn't fully wow me.

After all, at many chain theaters, you can schedule food and non-alcoholic drinks to be delivered to your seat when you purchase your ticket.

And when on-call service is applied to a crowded theater, the distractions from other moviegoers take away from the movie. I couldn't imagine seeing something here that demands my full attention, like "Dune: Part Two," at Cinépolis.

I also thought Cinépolis' rewards program sounded pretty good — it's free to join, and customers can eventually earn a free ticket if they spend enough on tickets and concessions (alcohol not included).

But, as someone who loves going to the movies, AMC Stubs A-List is still a much better value. For about $25 a month, I can see three movies a week, about 12 a month. When broken down, each movie ticket is about $2.

I'd consider returning to Cinépolis for specialty showings, like concert films or $5 fan favorites the theater brings back. But for a better experience overall — and a better film selection and value for a frequent moviegoer like me — I'm sticking with AMC.

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