burbank904416010

Return To Paradise is one of the best films you've never heard of. It was buried in the summer of 1998 to mostly positive reviews and was later unsuccessfully reinvented 9 months later here in the UK on the back of Psycho which also starred Vaughn and Heche. Its been unfairly treated by the now defunct Polygram as it is a quite incredible little drama with some superb performances and some moments of great power.

The premise is relatively simple. Three friends on holiday in Malaysia. Two leave. The police arrive and find hash where they were staying. The third is put in jail. Two years later a lawyer finds the two remaining men in New York and tells them that their friend was found guilty of trafficking. They must go back to share the punishment or he will die in 7 days.

Its a frightening dilemma and you can't help but ask yourself the same question. Would you go back? If one goes back they go to prison for 6 years. If both go they will have 3 years each. All of the arguments are put forward, making the answer not seem as clear as originally imagined.

The timeframe is made even tenser with titles reminding us of how many days are remaining. Vince Vaughn plays our hero who doesn't always act in the morally correct way we expect him to do. He doesn't immediately decide to go back, making us question if we would either. Vaughn gives the finest performance of his career as the not completely likeable 'Sheriff'. Anne Heche plays the increasingly desperate lawyer who will do anything to save her client from execution. And her desperation is made completely believable by Heche's multi-faceted performance.

And then Joaquin Phoenix plays the imprisoned Lewis who has little screen time but whenever he's on he totally captivates. His video message to his two friends is heartbreaking. There are numerous twists which serve to further the emotional capital which is placed in the conclusion.

And by the time the suspenseful court scene arrives, you will find yourself nervously hoping for a happy ending. Needless to say the film ends with a succession of unspeakably powerful scenes. Its hard to remember a film which I found as moving as this. It serves as a very poignant anti-drugs message. Its impact will stay with you for days, making it really quite unforgettable. Hunt this down. You will be richly rewarded.

I have to confess that I have quite a soft spot for this film. Its taken a while for it to grow on me but I really do like Conspiracy Theory. Its a glossy thriller with the requisite action,'funny' lines and intrigue but there's just something else which makes it memorable. The chemistry between Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts is great and they both give excellent performances. They kind of play inverted versions of each other. Gibson is manic and eccentric, never stopping for breath while Roberts is more muted (Pelican-Brief style). What gives Conspiracy Theory more of an impact than your average Richard Donner blockbuster is the emotional edge. The final half hour plays more like a tragic love story than an action thriller. You'll be surprised at just how sad the film is (Julia Roberts is the 'best fake crier in the world). And the final scene is bound to leave you with a goofy smile on your face. Flawed and not for everyone (as proved by the horrid reviews) but its up there with the best for me. All together now...I love you baby and if its quite alright.....

Enough has been brutalised by pretty much every critic. Yet its one of those films which clearly isn't aiming for critical acclaim. A serious and thought-provoking drama about spousal abuse it is NOT. Yet a crowd-pleasing suspense thriller with a satisfying climax it is. The opening scenes are cheesy yet they're thankfully rushed so the real story can begin. And when the first act of violence occurs against the improbably named Slim, it does come as quite a shock. Audience members actually gasped in the cinema. From then on the tension rarely falters. There are some incredibly successful suspense moments (Slim's initial escape, the hotel room, staying at Joe's, the car chase). And while the morals of the climax are debatable (fighting violence with violence) its still great fun. Jennifer Lopez (Jenny as we now call her) does give a good performance despite what people have said. Illogical and unintentionally funny it may be, but its also an incredibly entertaining Friday night thriller.