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Return to Paradise

Return to Paradise

Drama · Thriller · Romance · 1998

Lewis, Sheriff and Tony are three friends vacationing in Malaysia. Sheriff and Tony eventually leave to pursue careers in New York, but Lewis stays behind to work with orangutans. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony learn that, because of their past actions, Lewis has been arrested for drug possession. With Lewis facing a death sentence, the friends are left with a difficult decision: return to Malaysia and split Lewis' sentence, or let him die.

Movie details

Return to Paradise

“Give up three years of their lives or give up the life of their friend. They have eight days to decide.”

1998 Drama · Thriller · Romance 1h 49m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

Lewis, Sheriff and Tony are three friends vacationing in Malaysia. Sheriff and Tony eventually leave to pursue careers in New York, but Lewis stays behind to work with orangutans. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony learn that, because of their past actions, Lewis has been arrested for drug possession. With Lewis facing a death sentence, the friends are left with a difficult decision: return to Malaysia and split Lewis' sentence, or let him die.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Return to Paradise?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Joseph Ruben

Written by

Wesley Strick · Bruce Robinson

Vince Vaughn

Vince Vaughn

John 'Sheriff' Volgecherev

Anne Heche

Anne Heche

Beth Eastern

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix

Lewis McBride

David Conrad

David Conrad

Tony Croft

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith

M.J. Major

Vera Farmiga

Vera Farmiga

Kerrie

Nick Sandow

Nick Sandow

Ravitch

Court is in session

Put Return to Paradise on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.