Return To Paradise MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 Content: -2

After spending a carefree vacation in Malaysia, three young friends depart from one another and assume their futures will go as planned. Two of the men, "Sheriff" (Vince Vaughn) and Tony (David Conrad), return to New York. Sheriff becomes a limousine driver and Tony becomes a stock broker. However, Lewis (Joaquin Phoenix) remains in Malaysia to help endangered orangutans. But two years later, Sheriff and Tony find out that Lewis never made it to the orangutans and he now sits in a Malaysian jail facing drug charges and a death sentence. Not only are his friends partially responsible for his arrest, but if one of them doesn't confess and go willingly to jail, Lewis will be hanged. Anne Heche is Beth, Lewis's American attorney. And both she and Vaughn give strong performances. Although the film is thought provoking, it still isn't enough to keep it from being dreadfully heavy, depressing and predictable.

The decision to willingly go to jail in a filthy, third world prison and sacrifice everything to save a friend, brings to mind Christ's sacrifice for us. However, the comparisons stop there. RETURN TO PARADISE has many scenes in which sex is implied and several which contain breast nudity. Equally offensive is the amount of alcohol and drugs consumed in this film. It seems that the characters are never shown without a drink or cigarette in their hand. And several times they are shown smoking marijuana. Along with the drugs is an abundance of obscenities, including 58 f and s-words. And although there is little violence there is a hanging and one fist fight. With so many obscenities, illegal drug use, implied sex and female breast nudity, RETURN TO PARADISE is one drama that certainly is not a desirable, leisure time experience.

Preview Reviewer: Sherry Oswald
Distributor: Polygram Filmed Entertainment, 9333 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210