MovieChat Forums > Paradise (2013) Discussion > Such a beautiful story, rich commentary ...

Such a beautiful story, rich commentary on religion.

posted 12 years ago by yonasmic
19 replies | jump to latest

This is by far the strongest Diablo Cody project yet (and perhaps the warmest one), and this is coming from someone who loved Young Adult more than any other female-led comedy last year. The character of Lamb offers a fascinating lens, jaded by what's happened to her but still completely naive and oblivious to the outside world of sin and debauchery (AKA Las Vegas). Octavia Spencer's Loray is the most powerful here, and she'll undoubtedly be the strength of the film. And, best of all, Russell Brand's character is neither flamboyant nor is he over the top... the exact opposite of what I expected from his usual character types.

Great script, top notch dialogue, can't wait to see this in theaters!

Yonas Michael
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000952/
http://www.sophomorestv.com/

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Faustus5 11 years ago

I agree with everything you said except the "rich commentary on religion" part.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Basically, I thought the way the script treated religion was superficial and kind of cliched.

I never for a second bought the idea that she lost her religion; to me she was just declaring her atheism as a form of bitter rebellion. In my experience most atheists become atheists gradually over time as they think through the plausibility of claims made by religion about the world. And I didn't see any trigger in the script that would explain why or how she found her faith again.

Maybe that's the point--she didn't *need* to find it again because as I suspected in the first place, she had never really lost it.

Having said that, I just loved Lamb as a character. I can't wait to see this cast bring these three characters to life.

[–] yonasmic 11 years ago

I see what you're saying about Lamb's exploration of atheism being inauthentic and that's because, in my opinion, she never really did "lose" her religion - she just needed a means of questioning and challenging it. Going to LV, touting herself as an atheism, experiences the "sins" of the Bible, it was all entirely haphazard and premature, but it was something she needed to at least attempt.

SPOLER ALERT***

The last bit with the prostitute was, for me, what Lamb had been trying to do throughout the entire film but couldn't put two and two together - she wanted to believe that there was a God, that life wasn't a random series of events, that everything happens for a reason. The consequences of her traumatic experience (or, rather, the consolation) directly changed the course of someone else's life, someone who wasn't "in the Church". That, I think, made Lamb realize that she didn't need to reject God or religion, just embrace it in a different way. One that would be impacting and far-reaching, outside of the bubble of her small town.

I also loved Lamb as a character! Her obliviousness of the outside world was fun, especially when juxtaposed with her internal darkness.

Yonas Michael
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000952/
http://www.sophomorestv.com/

[–] Faustus5 11 years ago

I also loved Lamb as a character! Her obliviousness of the outside world was fun, especially when juxtaposed with her internal darkness.

Spoilers Ahead!

What really makes it both fun and touching is the way Loray and William gradually come to see themselves as her shepherds, trying to preserve her innocence on her journey. I think the sequence on the roller coaster and just after where she's hurt is the one I look forward to the most, after the scene where she gives the prostitute a ton of money just cuz.

[–] yonasmic 11 years ago

Agreed, I love that scene as well! My fav. scenes hands down though are the prostitute scene and Lamb and Loray's last bit of dialogue together. Powerful moments!

Yonas Michael
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000952/
http://www.sophomorestv.com/

[–] Faustus5 11 years ago

My fav. scenes hands down though are the prostitute scene and Lamb and Loray's last bit of dialogue together. Powerful moments!

I'm betting the prostitute scene will be the one most people talk about. And I'm also betting more than a few people will have lumps in their throats during it, too. I was close to tearing up just reading the script.

[–] yonasmic 11 years ago

@imnotazombie

It's my favorite script so far, but of course performances, direction, and even music will be a factor in how it plays out as a final film! But yes, for me, it was the first Diablo Cody script to dare to be sentimental without ever being cheesy or predictable. A great blend of human comedy with heart.

As it stands, my DC rankings are:

1) Young Adult
2) The United States of Tara
3) Jennifer's Body
4) Juno
5) Candy Girl (the book)

I get a lot of flak for favoring JB over Juno, but I've always thought the Jennifer script was sharp, fun, and very telling of childhood friendships - and Fox and Seyfried nailed it as Jennifer and Needy in my opinion!

Yonas Michael
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000952/
http://www.sophomorestv.com/

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Faustus5 11 years ago

I've never understood the bad critical reception. I get normal moviegoers not being into it because of how odd it is, but I expected the hardcore movie going community to get it.

I've got two theories about that.

1. It came out at the height of a combined backlash against both Diablo Cody and Meagan Fox. I think one entertainment blogger described them at the time as the two most hated women in Hollywood.

Mean-spirited, irrational, and stupid, but that's some elements of the human race for you.

2. It was it's own entity and didn't play by any genre rules--not a very scary film, and not all that funny, so you couldn't really admire it as a horror film or a comedy. It didn't fully want to be either.

Interestingly, I think it would have worked better for critics and audiences had she kept it what it was originally. It was actually a short story she wrote years before the script and had no supernatural elements at all. It was just a psychological drama about a dysfunctional friendship between two teen girls that goes bad (and based on an actual dysfunctional friendship she experienced in high school herself).

But without the horror elements, maybe no one would have made it. . . .

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] yonasmic 11 years ago

I agree with both of you there. And I think you have to add the third problem as a marketing issue. The biggest complaint I heard about JB was that "it wasn't a horror movie" like the adverts suggested. It should have been marked and pushed as a dark comedy/ thriller with Megan and Amanda's relationship played out in its darkly humorous moments for a female audience. Instead, they played up the horror elements and the "lesbian moment" for the male audience. It's back to that mentality that movies are marketed for 13-year-old boys, but smart female-driven comedies have proven to have their place in 2011/2012.

Hopefully Diablo's new movie succeeds with a new model!

And glad you liked the script @iamnotarobot!

Yonas Michael
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000952/
http://www.sophomorestv.com/

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] alvarezabel 11 years ago

Hey sorry to pesture you, but I've been looking for the script all over the web with no luck. By any chance can you email me a copy? I would greatly appreciate it. My email is [email protected]

[–] samthomas92 11 years ago

As a big fan of Diablo Cody, I've been wanting to get my hands on this script for quite some time now. Would it possible for anyone here to email it to me? I know there's been lots of these requests, but I'd appreciate it very much.

[email protected]

Thanks in advance you kind souls.

[–] Armadillo66 11 years ago

Not sure if your still checking this message board, but I would also love the script. Sounds like a great project.

[email protected]

Thanks so much!

[–] thomas-beaulieu 11 years ago

Not going to tell people how to do it here, but for those in the torrent loop, this film is now floating around for download; perfect quality.