Return to Paradise

REVIEW
A good idea in search of a good script, Return to Paradise stars Vaughn as Sheriff, a limo driver who, three years earlier, had enjoyed a boisterous, pot-fueled trek through Malaysia with two casual acquaintances. While working one night, he finds Beth (Heche) in the back seat, who informs him that one of those buddies has been arrested for drug dealing and is sentenced to die in a week. The conviction will be reversed if he goes back, takes equal blame, and serves time voluntarily. Amid the soul searching, Sheriff changes his mind everyday, but considering the film's title, there's not much doubt or dramatic suspense to the outcome. The final two plot twists are admittedly surprising, but they are executed way too melodramatically to be as effective as they could have. Return to Paradise is in need of more narrative drive, suspense, and momentum.