![[Diversions]](/~d49er/Icon/diversions.gif){kind=icon}
MOVIE REVIEW (R)
Movies such as "Return to Paradise" have a tendency to receive mixed reaction because of the moral and idealistic dilemmas they deal with. The essence of "Return to Paradise" handles questions of one's personal selfishness versus the ideas of the greater good.
Director Joseph Ruben tells a compelling story of one man's decision on whether to save a friend's life.
The heart of the story takes place in Malaysia where three newfound friends, Sheriff (Vince Vaughn), Lewis (Joaquin Phoenix), and Tony (David Conrad), part ways after a month of partying. Lewis, who decides to take care of orangutans, stays behind while Sheriff and Tony head back to the states. The following day, Lewis is arrested for a lion's share of hashish belonging to the three and is sentenced to death.
Two years later, Sheriff and Tony know nothing of Lewis' situation until Beth (Anne Heche), Lewis' attorney, informs them that Lewis is to be executed in eight days. The only way to prevent the hanging is for Sheriff, who works as a limo driver, and Tony, who is a successful structural engineer, to take responsibility for their share of the drugs. It is a life altering decision that could land them in the harsh Malaysian prisons, but would nevertheless, save their friend.
This suspense thriller, which keeps the audience hanging on until the very end, is well thought out and proposes interesting moral questions.
Heche's Beth, Vaughn's counterpart in the movie, is a perfect match. Her quick wit demurely fits hand in hand with Vaughn's character. Heche is outstanding as the good angel on Vaughn's shoulder.
Ruben does a great job in showing the struggle of Vaughn's character. The movie is full of twists and turns that create a suspenseful ending.
"Return to Paradise" is a well-written suspense thriller that not only contains humor, drama and romance, but it also poses questions relating to law, journalism, friendship and life.