Paradise

After a near-fatal plane crash, 21-year-old Lamb Mannerheim (Julianne Hough) is beginning to realize that the world is much bigger than her small, God-fearing Montana town. Armed with a huge insurance payout and a list of undone sins, there's only one place for her to get a taste of temptation... Las Vegas. And, with the help of some new friends, William Carr (Russell Brand) and Loray (Octavia Spencer), Lamb embarks on an eccentric odyssey of lost souls, broken faiths and cheap cocktails... a true journey of the heart.

Having built her reputation as a purveyor of witty wit (or preciously annoying p*ns, depending on your perspective) and somewhat campy explorations of the female experience with scripts like "Juno" and "Jennifer's Body," Diablo Cody takes a surprisingly restrained approach in her first experience behind the camera. To be sure, the setting of "Paradise" - the good Christian girl from Montana loses her faith and leaves for Las Vegas to learn about life - is rife with opportunities for indulgence in all sorts of pop-cultural observations and fish clichés. Out of the water. And indeed, the film's opening scene, in which the fatefully named character Lamb (Julianne Hough), after surviving a plane crash with horrific burns to her body, heads to her church and shocks the congregation by declaring " There is no God", shows little interest in avoiding the kind of easy condescension that does not seem promising for this pilgrim's progress.

With a sense of humor as sharp and tart as lemon juice, screenwriter Diablo Cody has proven herself to be one of the most refreshingly volatile voices in Hollywood since she wrote "Juno" in 2007. Her scripts brim with biting sarcasm and explosive confidence. Yet from the moment Julianne Hough's good girl-turned-rebel arrives in Las Vegas at the beginning of "Paradise," Cody's directorial debut, the writer-director seems as anxious and insecure as the central character in your film. Fortunately, Cody opts for a surprisingly sweet and generally irony-free story instead. There are a few mentions at Vegas id***cy and a scene in which a drunken Lamb is nearly taken advantage of by two id**ts, but for the most part, the filmmaker avoids bitc*y irreverence. Newly arrived at a saloon where she has her first drink in her life, Lamb befriends bartender William (Russell Brand, following his usual routine) and artist Loray (Octavia Spencer), both with an edgy but sweet touch, who guide our character in the right direction. As she tries out and then rejects typical Vegas pastimes like drinking and gambling, our heroine searches for her own way of life, something that lies halfway between the excess of Sin City and outright religious repression.

"Paradise" smartly avoids the cynical antics that characterize most Vegas-set films, though it can't find anything more captivating to replace them. Instead, this surprisingly lackluster film offers bland encounters, sentimental attachments, and largely wraps up its narrative. One of the worst of these scenes is a long crying session between Lamb and a prost**ute (Kathleen Rose Perkins) in a club bathroom, which tweaks but still embraces the old cliché that the prost**ute exists to meet the hero's non-sexual needs. Heroin. And while the film shows some interest in illustrating the plight of Vegas service workers, it's clear that they're only there to serve the interests of our angelically blonde protagonist. While Loray, a part-time film student, explains the concept of the "magical N**ro" to Lamb and insists that she has no interest in playing that role, she more or less does exactly that, providing the young girl with the tips she needs to achieve your self-discovery. But what Cody ignores is that simply offering self-criticism doesn't excuse a film for surrendering to what it's criticizing.

Despite a promising start, Cody's film soon unravels into a hodgepodge of missed opportunities. Films about Las Vegas invariably fall into one of two categories: either they embrace the city's sinful nature - as in "The Hangover," or they take scathing satirical digs at its cost - as in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". However, what Cody offers us is a cocktail of sugary confusion, which attempts to combine the two concepts with the seriousness of a quick wedding in Las Vegas. Her script doesn't hesitate to make sarcastic observations about the depraved environment, but it is also happy to see our innocent heroine and her two new friends (Russell Brand and Octavia Spencer, one an insufferable know-it-all and the other an insufferable alcoholic) happily connecting with so much depravity.

Holding the film together as best she can is Julianne Hough, who maintains Lamb's delightfully deadpan delivery of a naive charm that complements her character's crisis of faith. But unfortunately, Diablo Cody's inability to develop confidently as a director undermines much of her protagonist's work. The director does her initial directorial effort no favors by trusting Hough to run the show. Though beautiful in an above-average way, the stiff-necked "Dancing with the Stars" winner lacks the spark necessary to make us care. She is unconvincing as either a rebel or the kind of conservative Christian girl who would say things like "That smells like a wh**e" after smelling a stick of hotel soap. It's obvious that most of the time it's Cody, not Lamb, who's doing the talking, even though this conservative character couldn't be more opposed to Diablo. As for Brand, who is eager to get under Lamb's compression garments, he plays himself, with his signature thin voice. He and Spencer convincingly embody the tired, lived-in side of Vegas, guiding the wide-eyed blonde on a mundane tour of the city, something only locals experience (explaining the little-known fact that most of the Strip exists in a town called Paradise, not in Vegas). In case you think Spencer's casting might have been a casting choice that ignores racial issues, the script includes a winking digression about "the Magical N**ro."

"Juno" played with conventions, subverted clichés and truly created its own style. Seriously, how many imitations have tried to capture its cool charm since then, with middling success? Add "Paradise" to that list, as it takes Cody's own clichéd, over-the-top reality and shamelessly tries too hard. It doesn't get more confusing than a story about a programmed Catholic girl from Montana who gets a second chance at life after being burned alive in a plane crash, renounces God, and goes to live in the only place her naive mind can imagine what it's like. A hedonistic paradise of deliciously sinful experiences: the Las Vegas Strip (also known as Paradise, NV). It's so awkward that her first friendly encounter there jokingly asks if she got into the first five minutes of a p*rn film upon hearing the premise.

But here's the thing: the impression it gives is that Diablo Cody does this on purpose. The line itself is so directly self-reflexive that it would be a crime if it weren't. Add our burned girl with scars everywhere except her face; new friend Loray (Octavia Spencer) literally drawing attention to the fact that she is the stereotypical "Magic N**ro" in the story; narration so clearly ironic and typical of a fish out of water, and everything seems like satire. Much of this is also due to Hough's limited acting skills - this wide-eyed, personality less, mocked religious figure is probably his best performance - adding exaggerated theatrical expressions to each joke. She turns the film into a prolonged eye-roll; something far from horrible until the big "lesson learned" ending proves that the film is exactly what I thought it was mocking. Even this ending is confusing, as Cody's moral epiphany brings more parody. It's one thing to find out that Lamb's parents (Holly Hunter and a bald Nick Offerman) are "tolerant," but to have them subverted by saying, "as long as your beliefs remain very conservative" is too much. The joke is there, but Cody seems unable to let it exist on its own. Your constant desire to shove them down their throats ruins any mood they would have had on its own. If she spent less time on that and more time developing the story, "Paradise" could have been much better. Instead, it seems she thought adding more comedy would make us forget that the emotional connection built by Lamb and his new friends in Vegas is nothing more than a device to include said comedy.

When the credits roll, we are sure that the screenwriter used this work to criticize everything she condemns: American conservatism, criticizing the Republican Party trying to make her hometown seem like the worst place in the world to live full of fanatics religious and conservative people who don't know what they say and do, increasing all the lines and actions uttered from the mouths of these characters, especially those uttered from the mouth of the protagonist's father. It's as if the city were an extreme amplified version of "Footloose", since in this city you can't dance, drink, sing, date, in short, it seems like a conservative dictatorship to the screenwriter, something that everyone must escape to live their lives. Cody still has time to portray all men as walking trash (harassingly teasing the protagonist in the elevator, trying to take advantage of her in a bar after she's been drinking, etc.), and he also uses other themes from Hollywood's progressive playbook, trying to shove down shallow criticisms linked to blatant racism and how the conservative life full of constraints portrayed in an exaggerated way is harmful and reprehensible.

After an interesting start, Paradise plunges to the depths of pure boredom and a waste of time. When the lead character meets Russell Brand after about 15 minutes, the movie's whole direction changes and becomes close to unwatchable. Not that it's Russell Brand's fault, the film becomes stagnant and never regains any momentum. Interest wanes and the story lacks any coherent reason to continue watching. The film is not well constructed and I found myself asking why it was ever given a green light. The writing lacks any bite save for the opening and it is a waste of time. It almost plays like a Lifetime movie and I avoid those films like the plague. I saw this film on my cable provider's Video On Demand, it has not been released in theaters yet. I think this is done to generate revenue when they have a questionable title that they feel will not do well when it is released. When they do this, little is known about a film so caution should be used. I should have taken my own advice!!

This could have a great movie based on the cast alone - Holly Hunter, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer & Russell Brand. It could have capitalized on Juliana Hough's singing talent in one or two scenes. The opening scene of a girl with a serious crisis of faith, gave a hint of a comedy to come. No such luck. When sheltered country girl Juliana Hough decides to leave her small religious community after surviving a horrible accident and go to Sin City to experience life's naughty pleasures, there's a premise (Don't let those previous fool you!) that this could be funny. It's NOT. The first sign of this is when she makes offensive comments about Muslims...and shortly later, about Jews. Not funny, just racist. During her travels, she meets a charming bartender played by Russell Brand & a disillusioned lounge singer played Octavia Spencer, and I hope things will pick up. In fact, I hoped I'd hear Octavia & Julia sing together by the end of the movie. Nope. Russell Brand's witty commentary is not enough to save this dreary movie. Octavia is relegated to dispensing dime store wisdom. There isn't much of a plot. It's not funny. It's not moving. In fact, it's rather contrived. At one point, I thought I was watching one of those Christian movies, and I'm still not sure I wasn't. But one thing is for sure: I was terribly disappointed in such a waste of a great cast and a potential for a great movie plot.

The initial premise is a good one - how a tragedy can make someone lose his/her faith and the principles on which he/she has based living. And then (about 10 minutes into the movie) it goes off the tracks and devolves into a bad after school special - a really, really bad one.

Lamb (a very bad character name) is supposed to have been protected from the evils of pop culture but when she travels through Vegas she seems to know quite a few pop culture references. The bad girl activities which she undertakes are lame and tame. The "jokes" are even worse…"I'll have the Peach Shnap" as she misreads the bottle behind the bar. Ha Ha.

The backstory for 2 people who befriend her are glossed over - thereby wasting the talents of Octavia Spencer (and maybe Russell Brand if I am being generous in the definition of "talent"). Oh yeah, Lamb's parents (the extremely talented Holly Hunter and Nick Offerman) barely register any screen time or decent dialog and are additional examples of wasted opportunities.

Sure, Lamb grows some through her experiences but it all comes too easily and too readily to her. And the audience can see the resolution way before it happens.

Such a disappointment from a talented writer and director, and a gifted cast so badly misused.

'PARADISE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Screenwriter Diablo Cody makes her directorial debut with this comedy-drama about a religious young woman who leaves home for the first time to find herself, after losing her faith in a plane crash. Cody also wrote the film which stars Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer, Holly Hunter and Nick Offerman. The movie, like all of the films Diablo Cody writes, of course centers on a strong female character that's facing some kind of a life crisis and also struggles with morality verses immoral behavior. It definitely delivers what Cody is known for (and good at) in the way of story, character development and dialogue but it's lacking in the way it delivers those things in cinematic form. In other words Cody's directing is amateurish but it is her first attempt at it.

Hough plays 21-year-old Lamb Mannerhelm. Lamb shocks her extremely religious and conservative parents (Hunter and Offerman) when she renounces God in front of her church and leaves town (for the first time) to head to Vegas. She recently survived a plane crash, in which she burned a large percentage of her body, so now she's given up her faith and wants to experience the normal life she thinks she's been missing out on. When she arrives in Vegas she's treated like an outcast by almost everyone she meets (due to the conservative way she's dressed, her attitude and her plane crash scars) but befriends a bartender named William (Brand) and a lounge singer named Loray (Spencer). They take a liking to Lamb because of her uniqueness and positive spirit and help her on her adventure. The movie was originally called 'LAMB OF GOD', which would have made a much better title (I think).

Diablo Cody is one of my favorite film writers; I love her stories, characters and overall writing style (I also really like her style as a person). Her films seem to often have really positive messages also (as well as really strong and likable heroines). This film definitely has a good message about family and friends as well as faith and religion. It also tells a great story about being yourself and not caring what people think about you. Like I said it's only real problem is Cody's inexperience in directing; it's a little clunky at times and doesn't seem to know how to end. The performances are all great in it though and one of my other big film heroes (besides Cody) is Russell Brand. He's recently became a big political hero of mine and I like all of his film characters. He's hilarious and he also plays really lovable and well intentioned misfits as well (he lights up this film every time he appears on screen). I'm not sure how much of his brilliant dialogue is due to his amazing improvisation skills or Cody's genius writing but they make a great team and almost make up for the lack of skill in Cody's directing. It's definitely a worthwhile filmgoing experience, if you're a fan of Cody or Brand or are just looking for a positive and uplifting film!

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