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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Wednesday 19 OctOber 2022
Julia Roberts, George Clooney reunite in ‘Ticket to Paradise’

By JAKE COYLE succeed in that. The famil-
AP Film Writer iar beats get played with
It’s often said that the mov- sincerity. A wince-induc-
ies that were fun to make ing late-night dance floor
never turn out great. Well, sequence with House of
George Clooney and Julia Pain’s “Jump Around” ar-
Roberts look like they had a rives like a matter of pre-
grand time making the Bali- scribed ritual.
set “Ticket to Paradise.” There are other traditions
The film, directed and that fill “Ticket to Paradise”
co-written by Ol Parker as the Cottons wrestle with
(“Mama Mia! Here We and inevitably succumb to
Go Again”), isn’t the first Balinese culture. But none
movie to star Roberts and so much as the customs
Clooney together. But it of the rom-com. For me,
takes a moment to real- “Ticket to Paradise” could
ize that their screen time have like a lot of recent
together has been mostly entries in the genre greatly
limited to some scenes in benefitted from a funny
the “Ocean’s Eleven” mov- person taking a pass on the
ies and Jodie Foster’s not- script. There’s not nearly as
so-memorable 2016 thriller This image released by Universal Pictures shows George Clooney, right, and Julia Roberts in much to laugh at here as
“Ticket to Paradise.”
“Money Monster.” Associated Press you might expect, as “Tick-
Given their friendship and et to Paradise” remains
natural rapport, you imag- ing. But, really, Clooney’s ing job with a top firm, Lily law-to-be. It’s an unholy mostly content, like a doz-
ine that there must have best chemistry was back in and her best friend, Wren alliance. They bicker con- ing beachgoer, to bask in
been half-a-dozen rom- 1998’s “Out of Sight” with (Billie Lourd), set off on a stantly, so much so that the glow of its stars. Dever,
coms in their past. Instead, Jennifer Lopez a love that trip to Bali. (Here, Australia it’s clear that their feelings hysterical in “Booksmart,”
it’s a reminder that Cloo- bloomed in the dark trunk doubles for the Indonesian are still strong for one an- is also largely wasted in a
ney, so often compared to of a car. island.) Lily immediately other. I know this probably bland role.
Cary Grant, has, when dip- “Ticket to Paradise,” which falls in love with a local sea- comes as a shock. Maybe “Ticket to Paradise” goes
ping into comedy, mostly opens in theaters Thursday, weed farmer named Gede sit down before reading this down as a footnote to the
stuck to an archer, Coen- is a more old-fashioned (Maxime Bouttier) and they next sentence. But, yes, the many superior rom-coms
brothers register. And un- proposition: a movie built decide to marry within events of “Ticket to Para- Roberts has sparkled in
like Grant whose on-screen strictly and without apolo- days. dise” will bring them closer before. And if I wanted to
romances included the bril- gies on the charisma of its For Georgia and David, again. Don’t say I didn’t watch Clooney in a tropi-
liant likes of Irene Dunne, two stars. such a wedding is a four- warn you. cal locale, I’d choose Al-
Katharine Hepburn and Roberts and Clooney play alarm fire. They fly out OK, so Parker’s film, written exander Payne’s lovely
Rosalind Russell Clooney Georgia and David Cot- straight away to sabotage by him and Daniel Pipski, is “The Descendants.” Or for
has less frequently found a ton, a bitterly divorced set it, a scheme that dredges not exactly out here to re- Clooney in divorcee plot,
perfect match. Vera Farmi- of parents whose daughter, up plenty of their own un- invent the wheel. Predict- the Coens’ “Intolerable
ga in “Up in the Air” and Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), is fresh resolved issues about di- ability is part of the appeal Cruelty,” with Catherine
Meryl Streep in “Fantastic out of law school. Just be- vorce. “Nothing’s forever,” of “Ticket to Paradise,” and Zeta-Jones, would be the
Mr. Fox” deserve mention- fore she takes a demand- David hisses to his son-in- you can’t say it doesn’t choice. q

‘Philly on Fire,’ ‘Bella!’ tie for Library of

Congress prize

By LYNN ELBER lar,” Burns said in an inter- icles the pioneering Ab-
AP Television Writer view. He and Hayden, who zug’s election to the House
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Docu- were tasked with making of Representatives in 1970
mentaries about feminist the final decision after sub- and her fight for women’s
leader and politician Bella missions were winnowed equality, civil rights and LG-
Abzug and a deadly 1985 down by “a couple layers” BTQ causes. Burns calls it
Philadelphia police bomb- of judges, realized that they “one of the most energetic
ing are the winners of this were faced with an impos- and wonderful films.”
year’s Library of Congress sible decision. “We couldn’t “I’m old enough to have fol-
film prize. chose one and not the oth- lowed Bella Abzug through
“Bella!” and “Philly on Fire” er,” Burns said. Each of the most of her career, and Filmmaker Ken Burn poses in the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville,
were selected by Librarian winners announced Tues- I learned so much about Tenn.
of Congress Carla Hayden day for the Library of Con- it,” he said. “Philly on Fire,” Associated Press
and veteran documentar- gress Lavine-Ken Burns Prize directed by Ross Hockrow including five children, and easily treated superficially
ian Ken Burns, the latter for Film will receive the full and Tommy Walker (“Kae- some 60 neighborhood and used as a kind of po-
among those for whom the $200,000 grant intended for pernick & America”), ex- homes were destroyed. litical or polemical cudgel
prize is named. It’s the first use in final production and amines the Philadelphia It’s an “urgent and impor- to beat the audience. And
time that two films were eventual distribution. police attack on the row- tant and timeless film, and it doesn’t do that. It does
chosen for the award, “Bella!” is directed by Jeff L. house headquarters of so meticulously made and makes the audience a kind
which is in its fourth year. Lieberman (“The Amazing a Black liberation group, so balanced,” Burns said. of equal partner in the dis-
“They were both spectacu- Nina Simone”) and chron- MOVE. Eleven people died, “An event like this could be covery of it.”q