Ticket to Paradise

George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite in Ticket to Paradise, a charming rom-com that feels like it belongs to a bygone era. It hits theaters on October ...

It’s for that reason, in fact, that it ultimately doesn’t matter how frequently Ticket to Paradise feels like it exists solely so that Roberts and Clooney could go on vacation together. In its third act, Ticket to Paradise also makes the unfortunate mistake of replacing the bitter antagonism present in David and Georgia’s relationship with a shared, disappointingly straightforward romanticism. In doing so, Ticket to Paradise lets Clooney and Through a series of overlapping scenes and quick cuts, Ticket to Paradise establishes the whirlwind romance that first brought Clooney and Roberts’ David and Georgia Cotton together, as well as the divorce that has soured their relationship ever since. Determined to prevent their daughter from jumping into the same kind of marriage that they did, David and Georgia begin plotting to secretly sabotage Lily and Gede’s wedding. Clooney and Roberts have, notably, both retained the same undeniable charisma that made them global icons in the first place, and Ticket to Paradise, to its credit, understands how little it needs to do when its leads are actually on the screen together.

The new rom-com starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney can't quite sail through on the charm of its actors alone.

As delightful as Clooney and Roberts may have been in [Ocean’s Eleven ](https://time.com/4895598/the-25-best-heist-movies/)and Twelve, as the estranged but electric Danny and Tess, this time they give the impression of running through shtick that’s only presumably adorable. Here We Go Again ](https://time.com/5342753/mamma-mia-2-review/)and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, also co-wrote the script, with Daniel Pipski. [George Clooney](https://time.com/4920700/george-clooney-on-babies/) and [Julia Roberts](https://time.com/3070782/julia-roberts-pretty-woman-notting-hill/) play a long-divorced couple forced to spend time together when their daughter ( [Kaitlyn Dever](https://time.com/6222045/rosaline-movie-review/)) announces her sudden engagement. [Billie Lourd](https://time.com/5720323/billie-lourd-princess-leia-essay-carrie-fisher/), who puffs some life into every scene she appears in). But nothing in Ticket to Paradise makes you miss them when it’s over. In general, it’s good to see these two, just to check in. (The movie is loaded with “Wow, they sure do things differently in foreign countries!” gags.) After executing a number of embarrassing ‘90s dance moves in public, they pass out in bed together. The problem, really, is that both of these characters are boring and dreadful, and not in a charming way. One of the movie’s running gags is that Rob bores Georgia with his nonstop adoration. But if Clooney and Roberts are both wonderful actors, at this point they’re just not that good together, at least not in this setup. It’s refreshing when a star you thought would look 30 forever starts to show traces of all-too-human crow’s feet, or those mid-forehead lines affectionately (or not) called the 11s. Though both Clooney and Roberts are “still working,” the euphemism generally used for actors as their careers shift from youthful roles to more mature ones, it’s been years since either has starred in a [romantic comedy](https://time.com/5938521/best-teen-rom-coms/).

The veteran filmmaker admits he would have scrapped his rom-com if George Clooney and Julia Roberts decided not to sign on.

That film has a similar thing with Lucas’ character that we thought was funny, the idea that in the end, you want to be with someone who challenges you. And so when those things start to become clichés that you understand and know—the meet-cute, you know—then you have to find different ways to spin it. So I sent it to both of them going, “This only works if it’s you and the other one.” And luckily they said yes … If you know the ending—obviously, you know at the end of [Tár](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/ta-r-2022), you know Cate Blanchett’s going to be amazing, but you don’t know what happens. Because then if one of them turns it down, the other one will turn it down, because they become insecure, you know what I mean? And I sent it to both of them at the same time, which you never do. Ol Parker: Well, I started writing it with [Daniel Pipski] at the beginning of the pandemic and yes, it was sort of like I didn’t know how to respond to, you know, everything. The helmer of [Imagine Me & You](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/imagine-me-you-2005), [The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/the-best-exotic-marigold-hotel-2011), and [Mamma Mia! So with that, you’ve basically consigned the whole thing to the dustbin of history. And I knew I wasn’t going to write Contagion 2, you know, [or] Lockdown: The Movie. The film was written entirely with Clooney and Roberts in mind, according to Parker.

Now that will they-won't they has been resolved, here's how you do the Banana Trick.

Simply poke a needle through the banana peel (but not all the way to the other side), use it like a little banana sword and sweep it back and forth. Alas, it isn’t explained in the movie, but thanks to the power of YouTube, you and I don’t have to wonder anymore. That is, if that mission is to make me wonder if Julia Roberts is a wizard and spend the rest of the movie waiting for the reveal of how I too can slice this banana and absolutely blow my pre-schooler’s mind. Then she peels a banana to reveal that it is, yes, pre-sliced inside, using their distraction to swipe the rings from the kid’s little purse. While the idea is David’s, he enlists Georgia to pull it off, flattering her with “you do the hard stuff.” In this case, the hard stuff is swiping the bands from the cousin who’s keeping track of them, an adorably doe-eyed kid who looks to be seven-ish years old. In one phase of David (Clooney) and Georgia’s (Roberts) plan, they scheme to steal the couple’s rings before their binding ceremony.

George Clooney and Julia Roberts add star power, but it doesn't make up for a dull script in this island romance.

Like many romantic comedies, “Ticket to Paradise” is designed to deliver a bit of harmless fantasy — being swept up in the romance and beauty of a far-off, gorgeous location. There’s a place for that in the world, at least when done better than this — but the stars, and the pleasant setting, deserved better. The crop he’s harvesting in Bali will actually be flash-frozen by a global distributor and shipped to Whole Foods locations.

"Ticket to Paradise" reunites George Clooney and Julia Roberts, but fails to recapture the effortless magic of a great romantic comedy.

Featuring: [Camilla Belle](https://tubitv.com/search/person-camilla-belle?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox), [David Lafontaine](https://tubitv.com/search/person-David-Lafontaine?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox), [Jennifer De Lucia](https://tubitv.com/search/person-jennifer-de-lucia?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox), [Karn Kalra](https://tubitv.com/search/person-karn-kalra?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox), [Paula Rivera](https://tubitv.com/search/person-paula-rivera?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox), [David Keeley](https://tubitv.com/search/person-david-keeley?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). ["10 Truths About Love" is streaming free on Tubi](https://tubitv.com/movies/644817/10-truths-about-love?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) — [get the app](https://link.tubi.tv/Download) ["I Want You Back" and](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/cha-cha-real-smooth-movie-review-how-to-watch-dakota-johnson)"I Want You Back" and [Ol Parker](https://tubitv.com/search/person-Ol-Parker?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). Consumers can also watch Tubi content on the web at [http://www.tubi.tv/](http://www.tubi.tv/?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). Roberts](https://tubitv.com/search/person-brian-k-roberts?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). "10 Truths About Love" is a [Tubi Original](https://tubitv.com/search/tubi%20original?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). [Ol Parker](https://tubitv.com/search/person-Ol-Parker?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) delivers convoluted plot set-up instead. ["10 Truths About Love,"](https://tubitv.com/movies/644817/10-truths-about-love?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) streaming free on Tubi [10 Truths About Love](https://tubitv.com/movies/644817/10-truths-about-love?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) (2022): [Camilla Belle](https://tubitv.com/search/person-camilla-belle?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) stars as Carina Franklin, a thriving romance columnist who has her own love life totally figured out — at least until her longtime boyfriend dumps her. ["Bros,"](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/bros-review-billy-eichner-gay-rom-com-lgbtq) ["Fire Island,"](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/fire-island-movie-review-bowen-yang-jane-austen-how-to-watch-fire-island) ["Cha Cha Real Smooth"](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/cha-cha-real-smooth-movie-review-how-to-watch-dakota-johnson) prove the rom-com resurgence isn't going anywhere; nor are romantic star vehicles a thing of the past, as demonstrated by this year's uneven but still winning "Marry Me" and ["The Lost City." [Ginger Rogers](https://tubitv.com/search/person-ginger-rogers?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) dancing backwards in heels, the best romantic comedies make it all look effortless. "Ticket to Paradise" doesn’t take the trouble to clarify.) Regardless, David and Georgia are determined to stop their daughter from diving into the same kind of youthful marriage they did.

A rom-com in late October? With George Clooney and Julia Roberts you can make just about anything work.

While Clooney and Roberts exude chemistry, I can't say the same for the rest of the cast. Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween time and all the movies that come with it, but it's nice to step out of that world from time to time. I thought "Ticket to Paradise" was a fun diversion from all the Halloween shenanigans. While there is plenty of bad blood and insults between characters, "Ticket to Paradise" is a feel-good movie. This is not the first time these two have shared the screen; this movie is a reminder of why. The trailers for the film made it feel like a cheap made-for-TV movie that just so happened to have two of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Julia Roberts and George Clooney's new rom-com Ticket to Paradise is now in theaters. But when will audiences be able to stream at home?

But when Ticket to Paradise makes its streaming debut, it’ll be on Peacock. Below, how to stream Ticket to Paradise. Recently, though, they’ve been taking longer to hit the service; [Nope, for instance, will land on Peacock](https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/how-to-stream-nope-movie) in mid-November, roughly four months after hitting theaters on July 22. Ticket to Paradise hit theaters on Oct. But with recent films [like Ticket to Paradise](https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/ticket-to-paradise-plot-cast-trailer-release-date-everything-to-know), which premieres exclusively in theaters, that trend seems to be changing. [Julia Roberts](https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/the-my-best-friends-wedding-director-revealed-bts-secrets-about-julia-roberts) and George Clooney are back, baby — and they’re trying to bring the big-budget rom-com back, too.