Paradise

Don't listen to the naysayers here.

This movie is not as fast paced as an Avenger movie - but that doesn't mean it's not worth watching. The main character in this film evolves, slowly, from the over-sheltered life growing up in a conservative, religious town in Montana, to a person who clearly and accurately sees the world as it is. She sheds the lies and inaccuracies fed to her by her parents and religious community to see life as it really is. In doing so, she saves herself.

Well worth a watch! Some really great dry humor! Feel good movie!

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.

My first impression was to despise the movie, thinking it was going to extoll the corruption of a young girl raised conservatively to embrace the sordid prevalent "values" of modern society (generally promoted by mass media in most movies, TV shows and video games today, but I changed my opinion. The characters in the movie show her out of place and different than those she encounters in her journey, but the contrast is that her naivety is refreshing and almost envious. Being sheltered in life may leave one innocent but also protected from many scars and bad life experiences that most people encounter and from foolish behaviors that are deemed socially acceptable today. Refreshingly, it actually was a thoughtful movie, and will make people think about their own values. I liked it!

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!!

Bravo to Diablo Cody - this film is not for those looking for fast cars, explosion, raucous sex and heads hitting the screen even though most of the scenes take place in Las Vegas. This film is more gentle than the sarcasm in Juno and the main character is much more innocent and benign than in Young Adult. I have only seen Julianne Hough in Safe Haven, but she brought Lamb's crises of faith to life with a believable mix of emotions and believable physical and emotional suffering after a personal and physical tragedy. The opening scene of her denouncing the conservative culture of her cloistered, religious community is hilarious and an effective set up for why Lamb chooses Vegas as her travel destination. Although the humor and drama is more tame after that, I enjoyed traveling on Lamb's journey as she ventures to Las Vegas, NV, "Satan's adult playground", to begin taking control her life and experiencing the world beyond her small town. I loved the genuine scene as she is approaching the zip line launch pad and she exclaims, "I'm so excited" as her friends are reluctant - it was the embodiment of youth and invulnerability which her character hadn't had in a while. This was the first time I'd seen Russell Brand and Octavia Spencer, and I enjoyed the unveiling of the relationship between their very likable and appealing William and Loray - for people at a waystation in life and in the underbelly of the service industry, forming familial bonds is one of the touching things that gets you through. And although the script shows us that Loray is sarcastic and avoidant, and William is a bit of player but with a good heart, it's in the gentle safety of their bond that they decide to be Lamb's guardian angels for the night, and in the process evolve a bit more themselves. Their kindness and flow is a contrast to the detached Amber in the somewhat awkward bathroom scene when Lamb realizes she has overdone it, but this shows Lamb (or the viewers) they are truly her friends and as she shares once they find her again in the overwhelming crowd, "Not everyone's wounds are on the outside." I found it completely refreshing that William protected Lamb's innocence when she made a pass, and there were no gunshots or car explosions. Nick Offerman and Holly Hunter were comical in their unfortunately, accurate perception of conservative and religious America that tunes out any people or information that might challenge or enlighten their beliefs (and this is part of what makes the script, and Diablo Cody, clever and smart) but Lamb gains the confidence through her suffering and Las Vegas experience to love them anyway and literally soar beyond their confines to live her life to the fullest and help others. A surprising gem and pleasure to watch, even an inspiring reminder that life is short and the world is big, so get to it. As William says at 4am to an exhausted and confused Lamb, "There are more places than the extremes of where you're from and Las Vegas on the continuum, you know."