Customer Reviews

Another Day In Paradise

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Especially when the movie takes place in the 70's (see "Casino") and he's all tricked out in those greasy retro seventies duds. I suspected this before, but having seen this movie I have decided no other actor in the business can come close to him when it comes to playing a sleazy hustler-type. Or just a sleaze.

Anyway, he and the rest of the cast of the movie are great. Melanie Griffith, not a favorite of mine, does her best performance I've yet to see as Sid, Mel's junkie girlfriend with a heart of gold, a woman who can shoot smack directly into her neck without flinching but who can also sing a sweet lullaby to soothe Natasha Wagner's emotionally immature character. Yes, she can act- I finally had to admit it to myself in the last 20 minutes of the movie when she very realistically portays a woman whose entire world is finally falling apart, and who has to make some serious decisions.

The movie's plot (based on the book by Eddie Little) concerns a young drug-addicted couple named Bobby and Rosie, who survive on petty crime. Bobby's luck finally runs out while he is trying to jimmy a vending machine, and by the time he gets home to Rosie, he is in pretty bad shape. Fortunately, his "Uncle Mel" is called over to patch him up and shoot him full of narcotics. Mel and his girlfriend Sid decide to take the young couple under their wing, and teach them to become career criminals like them. They have fun at first, but...

I especially liked the way the movie does not glamorize drug use--the characters all look like cr-p, and Wagner's character has spotty skin and thinning hair. I was really expecting throughout the movie that all the 4 main characters would end up dead, (probably from finally killing one another), but this didn't happen--the people left alive at the end were not the ones that I thought would be. I don't recommend this movie if you are squeamish about any of the following: needles and injections (my husband is, and actually got up and left the room), seeing heroin use portrayed in a very realistic light, or James Woods dressed like a pimp.

All the actors did the movie for scale and from what I understand Woods even ended up funding most of the movie when the production ran out of money at one point. Lots of good black humor, and Woods is always great in everything, but best when cast in really nasty roles like this, which was probably written for him. As usual in this type of part, he's completely disgusting, but still somehow likeable (at least for the first 2/3 of this movie), and always hilarious. Some of the clothes that Griffith and Wagner wear are to die for (though they look more late 60's than 70's if you wanna get picky, but who cares?)

This is also one of those drug movies such as "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" or "Clean and Sober" where, if you had any temptation at all to do drugs in the first place, that urge will definitely be gone by the end of the movie. I didn't even feel like even drinking a frikkin' glass of wine again after I saw this.

But apart from being a subtle "just say no" movie, I found it entertaining overall, enough to purchase it. Recommended for Woods fans, and adult (this is not a movie for kids) fans of Griffith's who would like to see her in something very different.

Good evening. Or is that buenos noches? I spent the
last 120 minutes watching the 1998 flick "Another Day
in Paradise". This one came highly recommended as a
Bonnie & Clyde type crime drama. Let me tell you the
truth.

This one captures James Woods at his best. When I
heard several years ago that James was abusive in "real life", I felt there could be a thread
to his motion picture roles. Guess what? There is.

While I thoroughly enjoy crime dramas, "Another Day In
Paradise" is not for everyone. Here's why.

It's loaded with crude profanity, an abundance of
blood, extreme violence, heavy smoking and drinking,
streamlined drugs, death, murder, emotional and
physical abuse to the point of insanity, raunchy sex,
lots of bullets flying, and gross dialogue and camera
pans that definitely make this a...a...a (let's say)
unique film.

Woods gets a 10. His girlfriend (Melanie Griffith)
gets a 9.5. Their sidekicks Vincent Kartheiser and
Natasha Gregson Wagner get 8's. It is billed as a
Bonnie and Clyde for the '90s. It plays out as a
deranged journey into merciless crime...moral
decadence and a heartless joy ride. That's why I give
it a "10"!!!

A 10, you say? Yes! Simply because if you like this
type of film, it is a solid 10. If you don't, I
strongly recommend you not view it, nor give yourself
an opportunity to rate it. It is not as extreme as
"Natural Born Killers" by any means, but Woods'
satanic role is one worth watching. The only other
person that could have played his role would have been
Jack Nicholson (that says a lot).

Trust me...this one is either a 10 or a 0...nothing
inbetween.

The DVD version contains both the Theatrical and
Director's Cut. I watched the theatrical (which this
review is based upon). I'm assuming the other side is
even more...??? (think about it).

I became a fan of James Woods after seeing him in the movie "The Hard Way" -- he rarely disappoints. I know Hollywood's latest hard-nosed action golden boy leading man is Nicholas Cage, but Woods is the real deal. After reading the previous comments on this movie, it's apparent that many agree. "Another Day in Paradise" is a raw look at a troubling mix of drugs and crime. Melanie Griffith is very believable and it's nice to see her with a meatier role than what she gets in movies like "Milk Money." Vincent Kartheiser makes the transition from children's movies (like "Alaska") to adult fare in a big way. The theatrical version doesn't give you the full dose, but on the DVD flip side, the unrated director's cut was astonishing. If you are a fan of this young actor, this will give you a complete 180 from his previous work. I can't recall so graphic and extended a sex scene as was in the director's cut of this movie. All in all, the performances were incredible -- even Lou Diamond Phillips does a great turn (unbilled) as a gay "crime lord" (or "crime queen," your choice). Drug use was definitely not glamorized, nor were the crimes... this paints a bleak, lonely, and tragic picture of what this kind of life can be like. This movie is not for the timid, so if you can handle it, check it out... you won't likely be disappointed.

James Woods and Melanie Griffith are career criminals (burglary and drug dealing) who recruit a young pair of lovers to join them on a cross-country crime spree. The foursome enters a pseudo-parent-child relationship, as Woods instructs his young friend on the ropes of crime, and Griffith takes the girl shopping and coos just like a grandmother when the young couple gets pregnant. The teenaged male (not too far from a junkie himself) is desperately searching for a father figure, who he finds in Woods, but Woods is reluctant to admit it, and crushes his protégé every time things get a little too emotional. Of course, crime doesn't pay, and the relationship comes to a bloody climax, making for a fascinating drama both for the crime details and for the way these four unlikely friends deal with one another. If you like offbeat drama, this one is for you.

Especially when the movie takes place in the 70's (see "Casino" also) and he's all tricked out in those greasy retro seventies duds. I suspected this before, but having seen this movie I have decided no other actor in the business can come close to him when it comes to playing a sleazy hustler-type. Or just a sleaze. Anyway, he and the rest of the cast in the movie are great. Melanie Griffith, not a favorite of mine, does her best performance I've yet to see as Sid, Mel's junkie girlfriend with the heart of gold, a woman who can shoot smack directly into her neck without flinching but who can also sing a sweet lullaby to soothe Natasha Wagner's character. I especially like the way the movie does not glamorize drug use--the characters all look like crap, and Wagner's character has spotty skin and thinning hair. I was really expecting throughout the movie that all the 4 main characters will end up dead, probably from killing one another, but this didn't happen--the people left alive at the end were not the ones that I thought would be. All the actors did the movie for scale and from what I understand Woods even ended up funding most of the movie when the production ran out of money at one point. Lots of good black humor, and Woods is always great in everything, but best when cast in really nasty roles like this, which was probably written for him. Completely disgusting, but still somehow likeable, and always hilarious. Some of the clothes are to die for (though they look more late 60's than 70's if you wanna get picky, but who cares?) One of those drug movies such as "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" where, if you had any temptation at all to do drugs, that urge will definitely be gone by the end of the movie.

Those who marvel at Olympic giant slalom skiing, or a virtuoso violinist or piamist playing at the edge of the instrument, or a race car driver leading the pack at the Indianapolis 500 ... or the Le Mans will be fascinated at what James Woods and Melanie Griffith put on screen in ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE. Having seen most of James Woods' films, and SALVADOR several times, I was on the edge of my seat watching Woods do what he does best: play a homocidal crook on the edge of an emotional explosion at each turn. Melanie Griffith is no slouch either in this movie where she is the gun Moll and lover of the man who she can barely live with and love. Then there are the two loser kids, superbly played by Vincent Kartheise and Natasha Gregson Wagner. "Adopting" the drugged out and oversexed young lovers, Griffith and Woods act as mentors in crime and surrogate parents as the "family" leaves a trail of blood in their violent trade.

Definitely, this is not a movie for children or even adolescents. The graphic drug, sex and violent scenes are all necessary for realistically carrying the film through to its logical conclusion. The film is about a group of dysfunctional people whose life of crime is pursued in an almost tenderly family setting. The young people desperately need parenting, while the characters played by Griffith and Woods hover and brood over their "children" trying to teach them how to live in the river of crime that this "family" wades through.

One of my favorite Woods scenes comes near the end in the car at a rural filling station. As everything in his life begins to unravel, Woods launches into such extreme paroxisms of rage and frustration that we the audience can feel, in his fit he's about to jump out of the screen and tear up our living room. That was a spectacular scene rivaling many of his legendary ones in SALVADOR.

Some people may not be able to stand the vehicle filmmaker Larry Clark uses for dragging us through the grotesquely twisted criminalized lives of two young druggies and their murderous elders. The repeated use of extreme expletives by the characters is necessary because these are people who are verbally inarticulate, and "need" to express themselves with an intensity that moves them to use weapons for self expression. I think viewed this way, the film makes sense. Otherwise, it will burn your ears off, offend your eyes and you'll not wish to see and hear any of it.

Melanie Griffith was very good but James Woods is absolutely great. Acting in a film of this genre cannot garner Academy Awards for those who made this movie. Nevertheless, ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE must be seen by fans of these gifted American actors.

Another Day in Paradise is one of the better depictions of the lifestyle of minor criminals. It gets right to the point: an inept, druggy teen thief, looking for some quick money for him and his airhead girlfriend, is severely beaten while robbing some vending machines. His friend calls in "Uncle Mel" (James Woods), a career thief and junky, to patch (and shoot) him up. Mel thinks the kid has guts. He makes a deal to teach him the ropes, and soon the two teens are trailing Mel and his main squeeze Sid, a junky blonde (Melanie Griffith).

This is a Larry Clark film, which might immediately put some people off. I like Clark's work, and his films are almost impossible to stop watching (the best example being the highly disturbing Bully). There is a lot of sex, a lot of nudity (most of it between the two young criminals) and some stark violence.

But the story of this movie is James Woods. The guy is flying off the screen, chewing apart nearly every frame; he's out of control. Think of his masterful portrait of sleaze, Lester Diamond in Casino, and turn that up to 11. Whether he's jabbing his finger at someone's head to make a point, or grabbing them by the collar to stress 'It's about MONEY!', or quick-drawing a pistol, he's totally in command of his craft. We've seen him do stuff like this before, but this is special. The highlight is one, long, extended take of him throwing a conniption in the backseat of a car, spittle flying, fists whaling, total acting.

The kids are young and naive and from broken homes. Since Mel and Sid are unable to have kids, they `adopt' the two youngsters and act as surrogate parents. Mel is one of the greatest depictions of a human cockroach I've ever seen. He's about survival, pure survival. The characters seem to wander in and out of blood-drenched situations with no cops in sight. They fire guns, deal drugs, shoot drugs, and kill people and don't seem to be in any hurry to leave the scene. It's a great portrait of a small time criminal life and its many pitfalls. Eventually, the life becomes too much for the youngster, but there's every indication Mel will stay in the game, no matter the cost.

(...)

The DVD is good, looks and sounds great, and includes a commentary by Clark himself. Unfortunately, parts of the commentary are cut out, I don't recall why, but you can tell while listening. There are long stretches of silence; I'm not sure if it was copyright issues or what, but it's not complete. Overall, though, this is a lower-priced DVD and worth it for Clark fans, and especially for James Woods fans.

Recommended, at the very least, for the amazing performance of James Woods.

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I noticed that many people were praising James Woods, and I admit that he is phenomanal in this film. But the person that stood out to me was Vincient Keithweiser (I don't think I spelled that right). He deserved just as much prise as James Woods got if not more. All of the actors did a excellent job in this film and it comes highly recommended from me and all my friends. But don't think this movie is a feel good romantic comedy, it's a very strong action\drama filled with drugs (mainly heroin), sex, violence, and all the drama you can fit into a 2 hour film. I even cried at a few parts (mainly becuse of Mr. Keithweiser's excellent acting during a few sections). Recommended for people 14 and up (if you're used to that kind of stuff in movies)

James Woods and Melanie Griffith play junkie thieves who deal with some pretty shady characters. They take under their wings a teenage street punk and his girlfriend who are not as tough as they pretend to be. After having fun for a short time, the kids want out when it gets a little too real.

It's a violent movie and not for the squeamish. But for people who can handle the grittiness it is a gripping and mind grabbing story. The acting by all four is superb. Of course James Woods is excellent when he plays an intense bad guy. Melanie Griffith is believable as Woods gun moll with a heart.

Director Larry Clark has a knack for penetrating the lost hopes and dreams of the young adult. He also has a knack for discovering talented young artists for his films. In the case of 'Another Day In Paradise', he also offers up James Woods (who always plays sleazy to a T) and Melanie Griffith (who gives her best performance on film in this movie).

Young lovers, Bobbie (Vincent Kartheiser) and Rosie (Natasha Gregson Wagnor) live in a flea-hole, using drugs and getting by on Bobbie's petty theft. Bobbie runs into serious trouble while pilfering coins from snack machines, and "Uncle Mel" is called in to treat his injuries. Mel (James Woods) takes a shine to Bobbie, and brings him up a notch in the world, from petty theft to big-time burglary. Bobbie and Rosie take off with Mel and his long-time girlfriend Sid (Melanie Griffith), riding in a nice car, shopping for new clothes, and eating good meals in restaurants.

Mel masterminds a burglary on a medical office, and the foursome are now in business. While business is good for a while, all good things must come to an end. When one of the drug deals goes wrong, the foursome flees to the residence of The Reverend (James Otis). (Look for Clark's usual suspect Leo Fitzpatrick in a bit role as The Reverend's gate guard)

The relationship between Mel & Sid, and Bobbie & Rosie begins to fall apart, though Mel & Sid have been like parents to the younger couple. Mel wants one more big hit, but he is becoming more and more unstable. Rosie's drug use has deteriorated from snorting to spiking. At this point, as the foursome begins to turn on each other, you are left to wonder just who will be left standing in the end.

I was surprised, but pleased, at the violence in this film; I wasn't expecting it. For some reason, I thought the film would be milder, with less action. You will be surprised by the quality of the script and the amazing acting from the four main characters. Look for a small role from Lou Diamond Phillips as Jewels, an overtly gay and violent character. This is most likely Phillips best performance.

My only real complaint with the movie was the lack of subtitles (English or other languages) on the Director's. Other than that, look forward to a faster pace than 'Spun' and more violence than 'Salton Sea'. Enjoy!