There’s something to be said about a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be, satisfactorily executes that vision, and never apologizes for getting by on its commonality.

Such is the case with Ticket to Paradise, the new film which sees George Clooney and Julia Roberts reteaming in a rather run of the mill romantic comedy that enjoys far more success than it deserves. And that’s mostly due to the magical chemistry shared between its two leads. It isn’t original, nor are its themes particularly bold in vision, but it knows exactly what the audience wants and it delivers with an exhilarating breath of fresh air.

Clooney and Roberts are Georgia and David, a now divorced couple who can barely stand to be in the same room together. But they are forced to when it is learned their daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever, Booksmart) is getting married to Gede (Maxime Boutierre) a Balinese seaweed farmer whom she met on a post-college graduation vacation a mere month after visiting Bali with her bestie, Wren (Billie Lourd, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi).

Hoping to keep their daughter from making the same poor marriage decision they did, Georgia and David team up to sabotage their daughter’s wedding – one of the few things the two can agree upon. What ensues is hijinks, mayhem, and broken hearts as just about everything you might expect to happen, does. And yes, it’s as simple as it sounds. It also feels very old fashioned, as Clooney and Roberts harken back to the 1930s screwball comedy school and deliver absolutely charming performances that elevate this otherwise hum-drum romantic comedy into something worth watching. They are that good here.

Co-written and directed by Ol Parker (Mama Mia, Here We Go Again), Ticket to Paradise, with its themes of regret, second chances, and enduring the emotions of watching our children grow up, is as predictable as they come and adds absolutely nothing new to the genre landscape. But if watching these two A-listers banter back and forth doesn’t tickle your funny bone throughout, nothing will.

Sure, it feels a bit odd… and dirty even, getting a kick out of laughing at the absolute belligerence of a ridiculously calloused couple as they insult one another, but as delivered by Clooney and Roberts, it is a total hoot. In fact, stay through the credits to see a handful of hilarious blooper outtakes.

Having flourished in the early 2000s, but on a bit of a downslide over the past two decades or so, the romantic comedy needed a shot in the arm. After all, with what the world has gone through during the pandemic and lockdowns over the last couple of years, we needed something to make people happy again. And few genres have such broad appeal – young and old, friends and lovers – as the rom-com. So it’s nice to have something to make people want to get out and enjoy going to the movies again. And you can certainly do much worse than Ticket to Paradise.

Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD

Home Video Distributor: Universal Studios
Available on Blu-ray - December 13, 2022
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH; Spanish; French
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English Dolby Digital 2.0; French DTS Digital Surround; 5.1: Spanish; DTS Digital Surround
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; DVD disc; two disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Hey Clooney and Roberts fans, here's your ticket to paradise! Universal Studios have released their Bali-set romantic comedy, Ticket to Paradise for home viewing. And it's a blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code Collector's Edition that comes in a slipcovered eco-case which house two discs (DVD) and a digital redemption code.

Video

Holding their own as a primary character in the film are the gorgeous jungles and pristine beaches of Australia standing in as the film's Bali setting. And while the cinematography screams for a 4K UHD release, the 1080p anamorphic blu-ray presentation will not disappoint. It is unquestionably immaculate, perfectly saturated and will make you feel like you are there.

High definition video is all about depth and there's no better film to show off what your system's got. The ocean's aqua blues, deep greens of the jungle, and reds and oranges of the sunsets will light your home video system on fire. All the while, the easy stuff never gets lost in the translation as skin colors never waiver while the jungle's details remain sharp and crisp throughout. This is good stuff.

Audio

There's nothing to write home about here as this is a dialogue heavy affair, however the richness of the jungle sounds are handled nicely throughout while the low thuds of the tribal music carry the load of the lows and occasionally wake up that sub.

Supplements:

For a "Collector's Edition" one would expect an all in play for bonus material. While we get four interesting EPK-type pieces, they barely amount to 15 minutes of material. The Keep a Straight Face piece is a fun little bloopers reel and is the best in the box.

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

• Return Of The Dynamic Duo
• Destination Wedding
• Production in Paradise
• Keep a Straight Face

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong language and brief suggestive material..
Runtime: 104 mins
Director: Ol Parker
Writer: Ol Parker; Daniel Pipski
Cast: George Clooney; Sean Lynch; Julia Roberts
Genre: Comedy | Romance
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "I won't let her throw her life away."
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: October 21, 2022
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: December 13, 2022
Synopsis: A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.