Club Paraíso

I guess I'm an '80's boy because I have so much to remember, high school graduation, college, Navy service etc. etc. Yet it is the movies I remember the most and this is one of them.

It is cute and fun and with some great actors playing, so what if it didn't win any Oscars? Sure it wasn't gut bursting laughs by the minute, rather smiling all through the movie.

No. It is all about the beautiful warm feeling you get, like coming directly from the Caribbean sun itself. Laid back, cool music and a good time.

Pour yourself a drink (Bacardi perhaps?) watch it on a rainy winter evening with some company and you'll have a great time especially if you can remember yourself when you watched it for the first time.

I had to add a comment to this page because I couldn't believe that it only had a 4. something rating. I believe it deserves something much higher. I first saw this film about 15 years ago now, and ever since it has become one of my all time favorites. The comedy to the acting to the soundtrack all truly represent the best of 80's comedy film making. Either you love 80's films or you hate them. My husband hates them, which makes me wonder sometimes how I could've married a man that stands against everything I love about movies. The two Barry's are the best. "Barry - Barry... I scored"! I think I have watched this move about 50 times in my life and that is no exaggeration. I will watch it anytime its on. Jimmy Cliff delivers a soundtrack like no other. Every song could'va made one of his albums without anyone knowing it was Scored for a film. In fact I wish I could find where to buy the soundtrack as I have looked for years and have never been able to find it. Brian Doyle Murray is also hilarious in this film. Maybe it has to do with my childhood and experimenting with Reggae, and Drugs that made me fall in love with this film, but as I said it will always be one of my favorites and I hope everyone that loves 80's films gets to see this at least once.

This is a very enjoyable film, even if it doesn't always deliver the gut-laughs that you might expect. While I can only give it a six or a seven, I always think of it with a smile; it's definitely just as funny or funnier than the average comedy coming out today.

Part of my affinity for this movie is the cast. Robin Williams, as you would only expect, is his manic self here, a fish-out-of-water ex-Chicago fireman, struggling to open a low rent tourist resort in a banana republic. He's got some funny bits, and his throwaway ad lib's are better than most other actors' scripted lines.

The real bonus, though, is the rest of the cast. Jimmy Cliff, the original reggae superstar, stars as Williams'musician business partner (how's _that_ for authenticity?). Peter O'Toole swills drinks and purses his lips around his extra long cigarette holder,while spitting out his cynical, glib observations regarding the tropical paradise/hellhole.

But some of the funniest moments here are provided by several veterans of SCTV. Andrea Martin plays a pampered wife, most definitely out of her element in Williams' accomodations, while Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy are hilarious playing two slaughterhouse workers trying to score, in more ways than one. Some of the drug humor connected with their characters is every bit as funny as anything Cheech & Chong attempted.

Additionally, Brian Doyle-Murray, Twiggy, and Adolph Caesar round out a very busy cast. The story moves along quickly, the music is great, and the whole thing makes a great accompaniment for your favorite bag of microwave popcorn.

6-7 stars.

I don't know why this couldn't have just been Robin Williams running or fixing up a hotel. That's a great, simple premise. Alternatively, this also could've been Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy as two clueless buffoons trying to get laid at a beach resort.

Instead of either of those ideas, the movie decides to go with the most overly-complicated script I think I've ever seen for a comedy. There are so many characters and so many of them get their own scenes that go on for quite awhile. As a result, Robin Williams isn't even in the movie for significant stretches.

The filmmakers seemed to think this would be more of an ensemble with a lot of strong comedic actors and that was a mistake. Some of the others are okay, but not enough to sideline Williams for half the movie. They had a great lead actor and a script that could've written itself but decided to overcomplicate things.

The last 20 minutes of the movie take a crazy left turn into a civil war taking place on this Caribbean island. It's so bizarre and a little tasteless too with how comedic it's portrayed. It was the 80s I suppose. The ending took this down from a 5/10 though. It really hurts the movie, which could've just ended with comedic hijinx with Robin fooling the rich guys into not buying the property. I

This review is becoming as convoluted as the script it talks about, so in the end I'll just say they whiffed and could've easily had a fun comedy with Robin Williams in a fun setting. They literally made their jobs harder and made a worse movie because of it.

Ramis has exceptional talent. The eclectic selection of humorous scenes is well woven.

O'Toole lends a great deal of sophistication to the film. His thought provoking words on government and island life stirred my imagination.

Williams seems to have been at his comical best early in his career.

Moranis proves himself to be a true oddball.

Certainly, this is a picture you should not miss seeing.