This movie is one of my favorites. When I came to see it I was by no means expecting a movie that would capture and inspire me the way 'Paradise' actually did.
As with many other extraordinary movies, both the plot and the actors have managed to leave a lasting impression on my mind.
First of all, the four protagonists of the story are simply wonderfully cast. There is hardly any movie in which the main characters manage to interact in a more sophisticated and authentic manner as in this one. Elijah Wood as young Willard has a gift of working so impressively with facial expressions and has genuine, very subtle acting skills that allow him to act as if he would not act. He has acquired a level of acting many average actor never attain in their entire lives. Willard is very much an outcast figure, with a strained mother, bullied at school and somehow too smart to be a normal kid. Now he has to spend the summer on the countryside, in a sleepy fishing village with the Reeds family.
The Reeds are played by Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. They portray a couple that has to live with a deep scar, a huge burden of the past, which gradually destroys their relationship. Now in real life, the two of them were married twice and actually married during the shooting, which adds a very spicy element to the movie itself. Their private relationship might have had some sort of influence on their acting performances, and maybe this aspect caused the tremendously strong quality of the interactive scenes between the two of them.
Now as Willard enters into the lives of the Reeds, their problems resurface and the friction intensifies as both of them discover a very honest affection towards the charming boy. This is an affection that makes the old wounds hurt and leads to an emotional climax that is simply one of the finest I have ever seen in a movie like this one which is not primarily arranged as a real-life drama, but rather meant to provide some light entertainment.
The Reeds' painful struggle with their past's legacy is the strongest aspect of the movie, and as stated above, brilliantly elaborated on. Elijah's adventures with Thora Birch, the fourth main character, makes up the second major theme of 'Paradise', a theme that has much more light-heartedness and is both funny and sweet in the most positive aspect of the word. They discover the bonds of friendship and experience the inspiring magic of one summer in Paradise.
The storyline, based on the French production 'Le Grand Chemin', is very sophisticated and convincingly transformed. Willard has to face challenges and the hardships of life, he learns lessons and has to proof his courage and character more than once. The movie features outstanding character portrayals and profound emotions which pervade the atmosphere and make you identify with the protagonists as if you were there and knew them an incredible accomplishment. I fell in love with it at the first glance, and it truly deserves a solid 9, if not a 10.
As with many other extraordinary movies, both the plot and the actors have managed to leave a lasting impression on my mind.
First of all, the four protagonists of the story are simply wonderfully cast. There is hardly any movie in which the main characters manage to interact in a more sophisticated and authentic manner as in this one. Elijah Wood as young Willard has a gift of working so impressively with facial expressions and has genuine, very subtle acting skills that allow him to act as if he would not act. He has acquired a level of acting many average actor never attain in their entire lives. Willard is very much an outcast figure, with a strained mother, bullied at school and somehow too smart to be a normal kid. Now he has to spend the summer on the countryside, in a sleepy fishing village with the Reeds family.
The Reeds are played by Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. They portray a couple that has to live with a deep scar, a huge burden of the past, which gradually destroys their relationship. Now in real life, the two of them were married twice and actually married during the shooting, which adds a very spicy element to the movie itself. Their private relationship might have had some sort of influence on their acting performances, and maybe this aspect caused the tremendously strong quality of the interactive scenes between the two of them.
Now as Willard enters into the lives of the Reeds, their problems resurface and the friction intensifies as both of them discover a very honest affection towards the charming boy. This is an affection that makes the old wounds hurt and leads to an emotional climax that is simply one of the finest I have ever seen in a movie like this one which is not primarily arranged as a real-life drama, but rather meant to provide some light entertainment.
The Reeds' painful struggle with their past's legacy is the strongest aspect of the movie, and as stated above, brilliantly elaborated on. Elijah's adventures with Thora Birch, the fourth main character, makes up the second major theme of 'Paradise', a theme that has much more light-heartedness and is both funny and sweet in the most positive aspect of the word. They discover the bonds of friendship and experience the inspiring magic of one summer in Paradise.
The storyline, based on the French production 'Le Grand Chemin', is very sophisticated and convincingly transformed. Willard has to face challenges and the hardships of life, he learns lessons and has to proof his courage and character more than once. The movie features outstanding character portrayals and profound emotions which pervade the atmosphere and make you identify with the protagonists as if you were there and knew them an incredible accomplishment. I fell in love with it at the first glance, and it truly deserves a solid 9, if not a 10.