mjacksongta every time I watch this movie 2 things come to mind. 1 why to a get teary eyed every time I watch it even when I now know every square inch of the movie. and 2 how in the hell did this movie not even get so much as a nomination.this movie is GREAT and it's a shame to see so many haters on IMDb ruin its score.all actors in it deliver some of the best performances of their careers and mixed in with great directing and best of all a strong plot.you leave return to paradise asking your self repeatedly would i go back? you even discuss it with your friends but you don't want to ruin it for them so you tell them to watch it just so that you can talk about it.one of my favorite movies in any category 10/10

vachelettres This film isn't about dope whilst it definitely is Thy ultimate action FILM. iSN'T action The Power of Love? The ending is what blew me away. Charterhouse of Parma... Stendahl. (spolier) Three guys go to Malaysia, party, smoke a lot of hashish. Two leave. One stays to save monkeys. The one who stays gets busted for dealing. After two years of imprisonment, the other two who left him behind are told by intense female (lawyer), their old buddy's getting the death penalty if they don't return in about a week--- the other two must serve three years each in prison to save his life. If only one dude returns,then the one who has a conscience & submits to authority, gets six years, whilst the dude who originally got busted still gets to live.. See this movie, then read Charterhouse of Parma, or better yet read The Charterhouse of Parma immediately, of which the first 3/4's (truly fantastic) have nothing to do with this movie.

msaz12 A film about friendship, character, and inner peace. The title is a beautiful irony to the story it tells. Like a newspaper story given life, it delivers a believable portrayal of the struggles people cope with in the face of adversity and the conflict between self-preservation and humanity. The story goes straight to the point like a knife to the heart because it is true and real and depressing.Cliché as it is, traveling is not about the destination, but about the journey. Through this hour or so journey, I find that I cry, I pray that it isn't a true story, and am glad I am human.Good to watch. 8/ 10 stars

lorria Joaquin Phoenix should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Lewis in Return to Paradise. How in the world could a performance of that caliber be ignored? The scene where he was being dragged to hang was so real I could barely stand to watch and felt ill when the movie ended. I highly recommend this film and am amazed that it wasn't a huge hit at the box office. All of his past work deserves a second look. I've also recently discovered "Clay Pigeons" which,too, was excellent. Joaquin is destined to be labeled as one of this generations most brilliant actors -- there is absolutely no doubt about it.