Return to Paradise (1998)

Director:

Joseph Ruben

Writers (WGA):

Pierre Jolivet (motion picture Force Majeure) and
Olivier Schatzky (motion picture Force Majeure) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 August 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Two friends must choose whether to help a third friend who was arrested in Malaysia for drug possession.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Malaysia | Vacation | Lawyer | Prison

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Vince Vaughn	...	John 'Sheriff' Volgecherev
Anne Heche	...	Beth McBride
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Lewis McBride
David Conrad	...	Tony Croft
Vera Farmiga	...	Kerrie
Nick Sandow	...	Ravitch
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	M.J. Major
Ming Lee	...	Mr. Chandran
Joel de la Fuente	...	Mr. Doramin
Richard Chang	...	Prosecutor
James McCauley	...	Famous Divorce Lawyer (as James Michael McCauley)
Brettanya Friese	...	Young Woman in Limo
Deanna Yusoff	...	Woman in Bar
David Zayas	...	Construction Foreman
Amy Wong	...	Ticket Agent (as Amy Wong)
Is Issariya	...	Malaysian Woman in Hammock
Ed Hodson	...	Features Editor
Kevin Scullin	...	Doorman #1
Glenn Patrick	...	Doorman #2
Yusmal Ghazali	...	1st Scruffy Guy
Aril Izani	...	2nd Scruffy Guy
Kwak Wai	...	3rd Scruffy Guy
Curzon Dobell	...	Client
Vincent Patrick	...	Tavern Waiter
Elizabeth Rodriguez	...	Gaby, Sheriff's Ex
Patrick Teoh	...	Chief Justice (as Teoh Kah Yong)
Rebecca Bitton	...	Hotel Waitress (as Rebecca Saifer)
Rebecca Boyd	...	Restaurant Hostess
Woon-Kin Chin	...	Guard
Regina Wu	...	Bailiff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Raymond J. Barry	...	Sheriff's Father (uncredited)
Rose Sias	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Todd Stockman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ben Van Bergen	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph Ruben

Writing credits (WGA)
Pierre Jolivet		(motion picture Force Majeure) and
Olivier Schatzky		(motion picture Force Majeure) (as O. Schatzky)
Wesley Strick		(screenplay) and
Bruce Robinson		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Arnold	....	executive producer
Alain Bernheim	....	producer
Lashan Browning	....	assistant producer
Steve Golin	....	producer
Ezra Swerdlow	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Mancina

Cinematography by
Reynaldo Villalobos

Film Editing by
Craig McKay
Andrew Mondshein

Casting by
Kathleen Chopin

Production Design by
Bill Groom

Art Direction by
Dennis Bradford

Set Decoration by
Frank Grasso
Betsy Klompus

Costume Design by
Juliet Polcsa

Makeup Department
Kathryn Bihr	....	makeup department head
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup artist: Anne Heche
Anthony Veader	....	key hairstylist: New York

Production Management
Wan Allen	....	production supervisor
Joel Hatch	....	production supervisor
Lucille Smith	....	assistant production manager (as Lucille Masone Smith)
Ezra Swerdlow	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie A. Bloom	....	second assistant director
Jack Gill	....	second unit director
Michael E. Steele	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Natalie N. Dorset	....	art department coordinator
Emily Gaunt	....	scenic
Michael Herlihy	....	carpenter
Josh Liveright	....	construction production assistant
Miguel López-Castillo	....	assistant art director
Silvija L. Moess	....	scenic artist
Christopher Nelson	....	leadman
Celia Parker	....	scenic artist
Addison Pettit	....	graphic designer
Raymond M. Samitz	....	construction coordinator
Karl Shefelman	....	storyboard artist
Carol Silverman	....	assistant set decorator
Ross La Terra	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stan Bochner	....	supervising sound editor
Jeanne Gilliland	....	boom operator
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Richard King	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Lee	....	sound editor
Barry Malawski	....	assistant adr editor
Branka Mrkic	....	dialogue editor
William Sarokin	....	sound mixer
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World Digital
Paul Rivera	....	digital composite supervisor: Matte World Digital
Morgan Trotter	....	CG artist

Stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunt double: Joaquin Phoenix
Jimmy P. Wong	....	stunts: prison guard

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Cambria	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Jack Coffen	....	gaffer: rigging
Phil Cohen	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Edwin Effrein	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
James W. Finnerty	....	key grip
Chris Hammond	....	electrician
Matthew Hanlon	....	rigging grip
Patrick Ho	....	second assistant camera
Tom Kerwick	....	best boy grip
David Knox	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Dave Lowry	....	dolly grip (as David Lowry)
Jonathan Lumley	....	gaffer
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Scott Maguire	....	camera loader
Phil Oetiker	....	additional camera operator
Mark Proscia	....	electrician
Adam Putnam-Thomas	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
William M. Weberg	....	grip
Jamie Weidenhorn	....	assistant camera
Barry Wetcher	....	still photographer

Casting Department
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting
Karen Meisels	....	casting associate
Eric Zuckerman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Feldbauer	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Michelle Botticelli	....	second assistant editor
Jennifer Davidoff Cook	....	first assistant editor
John Scott Cook	....	assistant editor
Naomi Geraghty	....	assistant editor
David Orr	....	color timer
John Sosnovski	....	assistant editor
Paul Wagtouicz	....	post-production assistant
Laura Weinberg	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Ron Applegate	....	musician: french horn solo
Robb Boyd	....	music production coordinator
Jon Clarke	....	musician: oboe and english horn
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor
Mark Mancina	....	orchestrator
Dave Metzger	....	orchestrator
Frankie Pine	....	music supervisor
Fred Selden	....	musician: solo flute and ethnic woodwind
Christopher Ward	....	composer: additional music
Christopher Ward	....	music producer: score

Transportation Department
Antonio Molina	....	transportation coordinator: additional shooting

Other crew
Jeffrey Angel	....	location assistant
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Lashan Browning	....	assistant: Ezra Swerdlow
Patty Carey	....	location assistant
Jessica Johnson	....	second accounting assistant
Takahide Kawakami	....	set production assistant
Michael Kriaris	....	assistant location manager
Derrick Loris	....	location assistant
Meredith Mills-Cavalluzzo	....	production secretary (as Meredith Mills)
Matthew Ogens	....	set production assistant
Lyn Pinezich	....	location manager
Jodi Shapera	....	first assistant accountant
Jude Poyer	....	stand-in: Joachin Phoenix, Hong Kong (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment
• Propaganda Films
• Tetragram

Distributors

• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Budapest Film (1999) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• PolyGram (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• CIC Victor Video (2001) (Japan) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• PolyGram Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• WoWow (2001) (Japan) (TV)

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital

Other Companies

• Reeltime Creative  trailer music

Also Known As:

"All for One" - USA (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug content, some sexuality and a scene of violence

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Eastern State Penitentiary - 2124 Fairmont Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

Cuba Gooding Jr. turned down the role of Tony the architect.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Long opening series of street scenes, local "color", was obviously filmed in Buddhist Thailand, complete with saffron-robed monks and red-green-gold Thai temples - Malaysia (population has 30 % non-Muslim minorities) doesn't have go-go bars or obvious brothels unlike Thailand).

Quotes:

Sheriff:I'm here, Lewis, I'm right here. You're not alone, Lewis. Look at me, Lewis. You're not alone, Lewis. Look at me. You're not alone. I'm here. Look at me. See me, Lewis. You're not alone. I'm right here. I'm right here, Lewis, I'm right here. I see you, Lewis. I'm right here. Lewis, you are not alone right now. I'm right here. You are not alone, Lewis. I see you. I see you, Lewis. I'm right here. You're not alone. You are not alone, Lewis!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Reese Witherspoon/Alicia Keys (#27.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Lady

This film is a poignant...

This film is a poignant tale about moral decisions and the value of a single life - testing the ethic fiber of two men. This movie makes you pause and ask yourself if -you- would make the right decision, if -you- were strong enough to make such a sacrifice. The movie doesn't immediately assume that all people are good and morally sound, would give up themselves for the good of another. It introduces the character Sheriff (captivatingly portrayed by Vince Vaughn), a man who doesn't immediately jump at the chance to save a friend. The movie shows a truer side of man that many would prefer to ignore the callous self-serving side that still exists in all people. Sheriff must overcome himself, his own personal flaws to make a decision to give up years of his own life to save another. The man with his head literally on the chopping block, Lewis, is played by Joaquin Phoenix a brilliant actor who has finally had the chance to show his amazing talent. The film is an intense ride that leaves viewers in tears but enlightened. Not a feel-goof film for the faint of heart but an eye-opening lesson for the morally lost. Possibly my all-time favorite film.