Westside Messenger - October 30th, 2022

www.columbusmessenger.com
In Entertainment
Romantic comedy uses
star power to shine
A vital piece that has been missing in
the romantic comedies of late — besides a
truly original plot, that is — is the lack of
genuine movie stars featured within. To be
fair and kind to the up-and-coming actors
and the well-known faces who are cast in
their stead, they mostly do an admirable
job of trying to sell these products of pure
fluff to the masses, but it is the presence of
the movie star that can make even the
most standard rom-com on the lot truly pop
off the screen.
“Ticket to Paradise”, a romantic comedy
that was released solely into the theaters
on Oct. 21, understands the power that
they can hold and uses it to their advantage.
Truthfully, it doesn’t have a great
script, but it doesn’t have to have one
because George Clooney and Julia Roberts
are speaking its words. And it’s not even
that romantic, but it doesn’t have to be
because Clooney is smiling his crinkly
smile and Roberts is giving her clarion call
laugh. Heck, it’s not even particularly good,
but it doesn’t really have to be because
these sparkling and beautiful people are
throwing their sparkle and beauty around
in a movie whose locale is as equally
sparkling and beautiful.
This is a film that knows it is not a great
piece of cinematic art, but it effortlessly
wields the power of the movie star and
somehow manages to be something that is
light and fun and mostly charming. With
the shininess of the stars and the magnificent
of its beachscapes, it lulls you into
looking past its general ho-hum-ness and
asks that you bask in a world that you
could never dream of living — or afford to,
for most of us.
In “Ticket to Paradise,” Clooney plays
David Cotton, a bachelor architect living in
Chicago who, after nearly 20 years of being
divorced, still gripes about his first and
only wife to any co-worker who is willing to
lend an ear — or just be within his general
vicinity. For her part, Roberts plays
Georgia Cotton, a gallerist semi-living with
her pilot boyfriend who, after nearly 20
years of being divorced, still gripes about
her first and only husband to any co-worker
who is willing to lend an ear — or just be
within her general vicinity.
Although they are bitter exes to the
core, they have managed to raise a nearly
perfect daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) who
has just graduated from law school and is
on her way to a prestigious job at the top
law-firm in Illinois. To celebrate her
accomplishments, David and Georgia have
paid to send her and her best friend Wren
(Billie Lourd) on an all-expense paid vacation
to Bali for two months before they
have to get used to the soul-sucking grind
of adulthood.
Feeling as if they did a good deed by
The Reel Deal
Dedra Cordle
working together on this project, the (when
put together) demonic duo agree to never
see or speak to the other again — and they
do just that until Lily shoots off an email
saying she met a wonderful local man
named Gede (Maxime Bouttier) and they
plan to marry within a weeks’ time.
Not wanting their daughter to make the
same mistake as they did — David and
Georgia married right out of college and
she put her career plans on hold to support
her family — they strike a rare truce and
agree to work together to sabotage their
impending nuptials from the inside. While
the film does not fully acknowledge how
truly awful their mission is and how off the
deep-end they are, the genuine movie stars
play their parts so well that they manage
to infuse their characters with some
pathetic charm so you do not outright hate
them for their occasional bouts of
wretchedness.
This romantic comedy likes to split its
time between the two couples, one fresh in
the bloom of love and the other, well, decidedly
not — or so it seems. Over the course of
trying to crush their daughter’s heart and
spirit, the latter pair can’t help but get
swept up in the magic of the island and the
unresolved issues that have frayed their
once loving friendship and romance.
Although both of the couples could use a bit
more of a romantic chemistry, it’s hard to
deny that the adults are the most interesting
pairing to watch, much of it due to the
fact that they were given the most material
to work with and had the characters who
were the most developed. It also doesn’t
hurt that they are played by movie stars
who know how to chew the fat from any
scene.
“Ticket to Paradise” is a movie where
you can see how much fun the actors had
filming it, and for the most part, that
translates out of the screen and with the
audience. But with its over-reliance on the
star power of Clooney and Roberts, some
aspects of the film suffer from a lack of
attention paid to other important elements.
Overall, this film isn’t a bad one but if
you are able to withstand the presence of
Clooney and Roberts together again, you’ll
probably notice the cracks in the foundation
a bit more. But if you just want to turn
off your brain and watch beautiful people
do ugly things and then put in some work
to beautify themselves again in a majestic
location, then this might be something you
want to check out when you get a chance.
Grade: B-
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer
and columnist.
Pet Corner
Pets of the week
Artemisia is a sweet
1-year-old gal. She is
a fun-loving girl looking
for her furever
home. She likes toys,
pets, and definitely
treats. Artemisia will
keep you entertained.
She is up for
adoption through Colony Cats and Dogs.
FYI: colonycats.org
Charlie is a 3-monthold
who was rescued
from a high kill shelter
in West Virginia. He is
a sweet snuggle bug
and a good listener.
He is crate trained
and almost house
trained. Charlie loves
to play with other
dogs and is respectful
of cats. He is current
on vaccines,
neutered, and ready to find his forever home.
Adopt him from Colony Cats and Dogs.
FYI: colonycats.org
October 30, 2022 - WESTSIDE MESSENGER - PAGE 7
These furry friends are available
for adoption at local
rescues and shelters
Reed is an 8-year-old
terrier mix who is a bit
of a wallflower. Reed
is a shy yet charming
dog who is searching
for a patient human
with a relaxed
lifestyle. He could use
some gentle guidance
to help him
come out of his shell. Reed is up for adoption
at the Franklin County shelter.
FYI: franklincountydogs.com
Polar is a real go-getter.
This 3-year-old
mixed breed is action
oriented. He would
love a home with
someone who wants
to get outside and get
moving. Polar would
make a great walking
or jogging partner. He
has a ton of energy
and loves to play ball.
If you think you can keep up with, contact the
county shelter about meeting Polar.
FYI: franklincountydogs.com