Return to Paradise

Name: Return to Paradise
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance
Released: August 14, 1998
Duration: 111 min
Rating: 54
Cast: Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn

1998

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Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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Return To Paradise

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Movie Details & Credits

MCA/Universal Pictures | Release Date: August 14, 1998 | R

Starring: Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn

Summary: Return to Paradise is a twisted thriller of passion and betrayal in which two men face the decision of a lifetime. (Universal)

Director: Joseph Ruben

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 111 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

The director, Joseph Ruben ("The Stepfather," "Sleeping With the Enemy"), uses a kind of flat, logical storytelling that leads us inexorably toward his conclusions. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Return to Paradise is "Midnight Express" remade from the outside, as existential quandary. It has the moody, disquieting undertow of a true moral thriller. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

None of the moral ramifications of this dilemma is avoided, and to the film’s credit the behavior of the American press seems more questionable than the machinations of third-world justice. Read full review

Elvis Mitchell

The film's cool, sober texture and its clever characters are often more interesting than the larger plot. Read full review

Peter Travers

What if director Joseph Ruben didn't resort to B-movie suspense tricks? What if the fine cast wasn't saddled with a shamelessly contrived script by Wesley Strick and Bruce Robinson? Then Return to Paradise would be a better movie, that's what if. Read full review

David Sterritt

The story raises challenging moral and legal questions but loses energy in a miscalculated romantic subplot. Read full review

Michael O'Sullivan

Unfortunately, the dramatic potential of such a moral quandary is left largely unmined in director Joseph Ruben's monotonous parlor game of will-he-won't-he. [14 Aug 1998, Pg. N.39]

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DawdlingPoet

Nov 20, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is quite a thought provoking and, at times, moving, movie. The question behind it - ie would you go back? is an interesting one, what would you do? It makes you assess how far you would go to help a friend.

This is a well made movie, with good, solid performances I felt, particularly from Anne Heche and Joaquin Phoenix, towards the end.

The way the story is played out, its not clear what Tony or Sheriff is going to do. The issue is discussed realistically, mainly between the lawyer Beth and Sheriff and you can feel his dilemma, while he seems selfish in some ways, its hardly an easy decision to make and Tony, well he has a wife who's less than keen of course.

Most of the movie is set in New York, after the initial start of the movie showing the three of them in Malaysia (Penang being the area they stayed in, according to Sheriff), the supposed 'trip of a lifetime', I guess you could say.

During the movie, there appears to be a tense relationship between Beth and Sheriff. Anne Heche plays her character with his rather unusual slight quirkiness, as is seen in other shows and movies she's been in but it works quite well. All the characters I feel are shown as having their own flaws and it makes it more realistic and believable. The tenseness and chemistry between Beth and Sheriff is quite palpable at times.

The movie, while hardly fast paced during the main part of it, is more of a slow burner but it is still well worth seeing, there are still a good few dramatic moments, very dramatic moments, towards the end, which make it worth sticking with, through the slower parts of the movie. I never felt that it was so slow that I was losing interest, following the characters you felt more interested and intrigued to find out what their final decision would be, if they'd leave their friend knowing that he would lose his life, or risk theirs to save him... it may be a bit slow but I found it far from too boring and it was certainly thought provoking and intriguing, in my opinion.

It may also, in a way, be a good movie to show young adults in an attempt to put them off using drugs and it reminds you that other countries can give very harsh sentences for drug use and presumed drug trafficking (they say that they found over 100g and if its over 100g thats classified as drug trafficking, or presumably the same as drugs with the intent to sell/deal). This is a quality movie and I feel that its a shame that it isn't more well known.… Expand

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