Return To Paradise Details

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Return to Paradise

Directed by Joseph Luben ( Sleeping with the Enemy) a film riddled with cliches, but suprisingly enjoyable nonetheless. Lewis, (Joaquin Pheonix) Sheriff (Vince Vaughan) and Tony (David Conrad) are three American guys who meet and hang out one summer at the beach huts of Malaysia. There they enjoy lots of women, rum, and hash in no particular order. But the summer ends, and Tony and Sheriff go back to New York, but Lewis decides to go to Borneo to help save the orangutan. However before he gets the chance to leave, and unbeknown to the other two party animals he is arrested for possession of the large block of leftover hash and sentenced to death because he was considered to be trafficking.

Two years go by and Sheriff and Tony are living their lives peacefully in New York though Sheriff is unhappy with his lot he muddles through, whilst Tony is successful and settled with a fiance in tow. Enter Lewis' lawyer Beth (Anne Heche) who turns up and tells them the bomshell news: three years each in prison if they both go back to Malaysia or six years if one goes, Lewis' hangs if neither decide to return . Although neither wants Lewis to die, the huge moral dilemma surfaces ,do they really want to sacrifice three years of their lives in a Third-World prison.?

'Return to Paradise' watches Sheriff and Tony as they struggle to decide Lewis's fate, will either or neither return ? or will Lewis face the executioner? A watchable movie with some tender moments, and a twist in the tale at the end . Pheonix is only on for short bursts but dominates and everyone makes a good stab at making it believable.Worth a watch .

Would you sacrifice six years of your life for someone else?

Interesting and thought provoking subject. Three buddies meet and party in Malaysia, two years later a lawyer turns up on two of their doorsteps claiming that unless they go to Malaysian jail for three years each, their third friend will be killed for drug offences. The acting is incredible especially Joaquin Phoenix whose small but key role climaxes in a tremendous performance. Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche are also notable and manage to create chemistry in an unlikely romance.Overall this film could do with being more brave, it asks hard questions but delivers easy answers.