David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts) hate each other. Years ago, they were married for a short time. The only positive thing to come out of their short-lived union was daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever). Now, David and Georgia are forced to spend time together for Lily’s graduation from law school. Afterward, Lily and her best friend Wren (Billie Lourd) head off on vacation to Bali. While there, she falls for a local seaweed farmer, Gede (Maxime Bouttier). As they travel to the wedding, David and Georgia agree on one thing: Lily is too young to marry, and they don’t want her to make the same mistake they did. Still feuding, David and Georgia scheme to stop the wedding.
Ticket to Paradise does nothing to hide its predictability. It’s okay though, the appeal here is the fun Clooney and Roberts are so clearly having. At times, its hard not to enjoy the pranks. I still smile thinking about them playing beer pong with local moonshine while dancing to “Jump Around” and “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” Unfortunately, those moments are to few and far between. Georgia has a fiancé, a young, European pilot named (Lucas Bravo) who serves as an obstacle to a reunion between David and Georgia. Whatever, the ending remains clear.
Still, Clooney and Roberts together harken back to the screwball comedies of the 1940’s. I’ve often thought they would be great together in an update of The Philadelphia Story or Bringing Up Baby, both fun romantic comedies with strong scripts that offer some twists and turns for the main characters. While Ticket to Paradise has moments of fun, the script is too straightforward and obvious to let Clooney and Roberts show off their impressive acting chops.
If you want something predictable with a few laughs, Ticket to Paradise fills that bill. The chemistry between Clooney and Roberts is undeniable. However, it would be fascinating to see them together in something more challenging on film.
Presented in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, Ticket to Paradise looks wonderful on Blu-ray. Standing in for Bali, the sunny beaches of Australia’s Gold Coast shine, showing off rich palm trees snd clear, blue ocean. Colors pop off the screen throughout, emphasizing the natural beauty of the location. Detail is excellent, be it the pedals of various flowers or George Clooney’s neatly trimmed beard. Black levels are perfect throughout and flesh tones are spots.
Lackluster box office returns are likely the reason no 4K has been released, but the dream location and lush colors are made for the format. I hope a UHD release will turn up someday. Regardless, if you’re a fan of beautiful scenery, this Blu-ray is well worth a look.
The English DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack is solid. Clear and far more immersive than I expected, surround activity appears in the front and back. Dialogue, sound effects and music are well mixed, offering a nice level of clarity. dialogue is clean, clear and concise throughout. The sound of the ocean is clearly in evidence! There are no audio defects to be found.
English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are available.
Along with a DVD and Digital HD copy of the film, the following special features are included:
- Return of The Dynamic Duo (HD, 4:38) A discussion about George Clooney and Julia Roberts reteaming for the film.
- Destination Wedding (HD, 3:38) A look at the wedding in the film.
- Production in Paradise (HD, 3:44) A brief look at how Australia stood in for Bali.
- Keep A Straight Face (HD, 2:35) A look at how the real life friendship between Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Lourd was reflected in the filming.
