The Reel Review
When their recent law school graduate daughter announces her sudden engagement to be married while on vacation in Bali, her long divorced, bickering parents form a secret pact to prevent her from making the same mistake they felt they made 25 years ago, in this rom-com starring Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Kaitlyn Dever.
Director Ol Parker (Mamma Mia Here We Go Again) had the perfect opportunity to make a delightful, hilarious rom-com. Instead, the script he wrote with Daniel Pipski is surprising only in how bland it is, completely wasting the star power of Roberts and Clooney. Watching the duo read IKEA furniture assembly instructions would be more entertaining than this uninspired, predictable dud of a screenplay.
With Australia’s Gold Coast substituting for Bali, the idyllic scenery is the best part of this dull film. Billie Lourd makes the most of her role as the bride’s bestie, with Indonesian actor Maxime Bouttier and Lucas Bravo (Emily in Paris) respectively portraying the groom and the love interest of Roberts’ character. But unfortunately, Ticket to Paradise is just a cheap ticket to disappointment.
REEL FACTS
• Ticket to Paradise is the fifth collaboration between Julia Roberts and George Clooney, after 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven, 2002’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, 2004’s Ocean’s Twelve and 2016’s Money Monster.
• Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Lourd also co-starred in 2019’s Booksmart.
• Ticket to Paradise co-writer/director Ol Parker and actress Thandiwe Newton split earlier in 2022, after 23 years of marriage. They have three children.
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