Paradise

I remember Siskel & Ebert giving this film a thumbs down. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it, and how moved I was by the story. Don & Melanie are wonderful together. A bit slow moving in the story department but more than makes up for it with emotion and heart.

I wrote a short essay after watching this movie, not because it affected me, but that it left such a great impression. To me, the use of 'Paradise' as title is apt, as the movie goes to show how many people continue to live in their private hells, when all around them is a place which seems like paradise. These people, though socially interactive at times, seem more preoccupied with the ghosts of their pasts rather than the blessings of the moment. Only when these characters are able to let go of the demons that haunt them are they able to once again experience the joys of love and intimacy.

This film can help us to evaluate the things that we allow to control us, and help us to understand that instead of examining our lives under a microscope, we should allow ourselves to look up and out sometimes, and maybe discover all those things missing in our lives but which were right by us all the time.

The movie concerns a little boy (Elijah Wood) who is sent by his pregnant mummy to remain the idyllic summer with a marriage of old friends (Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith) in the countryside . The couple has numerous problems caused by an unfortunate tragedy happened years earlier . Meanwhile , Elijah befriends his neighbour small girl and takes interest in Don Johnson , fishing shrimps and speaking about interesting issues . They gave a boy a summer he'd always remember. He gave them back the love they lost. It would take a miracle to save their love... and that's just what they got.

This is a brilliant and touching story , although sometimes results to be slow-moving and tiring , but is developed with real intelligence and extreme sensibility . In the picture is treated ethic and moral themes narrated with great sense of fairness and ductility . Melanie Griffith's (at the time wedded Steven Bauer , Don Johnson until Antonio Banderas) interpretation is pretty good , she plays an embittered woman who will have to face off a traumatic truth . Elijah Wood as a sensitive and agreeable boy is nice , he's a newcomer and would have much success years later , becoming himself a first-class world star (Lord of the rings) . Thora Birch is enjoyable , she is ready as a future star (American beauty , The Hole , Ghost world) . Excellent and sensitive musical score by David Newman . Besides , exceptional and awesome cinematography by Jerzy Zielinsky , being stunningly shown on the marvelous outdoors in the country . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue (Beaches) . Rating : 7/10. Essential and indispensable watching . Better than average and well worth seeing.

Remember "The Good Son" with Elijah Wood and Macaulay Culkin? Well McCauley was already famous, but Elijah was just starting. In this film, Elijah has a similar and very believable personality when he is stuck with a couple going through some rough times. It seems everybody seems to learn from his caring and honest manner as much as he learns from his life in the simple south. Melanie Griffith also does a good job in a very tough role, being hurt and numb after a very dramatic event in her life. Everything fits well in the plot and you can never really tell what the end will bring. Just a great all around film.

Surprisingly good. The cinematography and screenplay were excellent. Griffith played the role beautifully as did Don Johnson. This was the only movie that I liked both actors in. Elijah Wood's best performance too. This movie should have been nominated for many awards. It isn't often that the screenplay, acting, setting and theme come together so poignantly and effectively. I'd give this movie a 10.