Another Day in Paradise (1998)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Larry Clark

Writers:

Eddie Little (book)
Christopher B. Landon (written by) ...

Release Date:

1999 (Austria)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

We live at the abyss.

Plot:

In the hope of a big score, two junkie couples team up to commit various drug robberies which go disastrously wrong leading to dissent, violence and murder.

Plot Keywords:

Robbery | Drugs | Addict | Violence | Junkie

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 13

1:30 AM

TMC

Cast

James Woods	...	Mel
Melanie Griffith	...	Sid
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Bobbie
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Rosie
James Otis	...	Reverend
Branden Williams	...	Danny
Brent Briscoe	...	Clem
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Ty
Paul Hipp	...	Richard Johnson
Kim Flowers	...	Bonnie Johnson
John Gatins	...	Phil
Ryan Donahue	...	Barry
Christopher Doyle	...	Conan
Dick Hancock	...	Breather
Pamela Gordon	...	Waitress

Also Known As:

Paradise (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality, drug use and language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | USA:R (Certificate #36165) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Firestone Boulevard, Norwalk, California, USA

Company:

Chinese Bookie Pictures

Trivia:

The scene in the woods with James Woods and Vincent Kartheiser was completely improvised and involved Woods hitting Kartheiser repeatedly with his fingers. The gestures are so rough and sudden that you can hear each hit and see Kartheiser's genuine surprise, respectively. Afterwards, Kartheiser went up to director Larry Clark and said, simply, "I didn't know that motherfucker was going to hit me."

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Vincent Kartheiser, alone in a toilet cubicle, climbs into the roof cavity through the overhead access hole. The hand of a crew member can be seen coming up from bottom of frame, giving him a boost.

Quotes:

Sid: I'm no role model. I'm a junkie and a thief.

Movie Connections:

References "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" (1952)

Soundtrack:

If I Lose Your Love

powerful realism

This is one of the most disturbing, pessimistic, and overall depressing films I've ever seen -- naturally I loved it. It affected me powerfully. The camera work/artistic shot set-ups, along with the dark color quality set the tone for the whole movie. Not at all like the unappetizing "Kids," director Larry Clark's first feature, this movie is constantly shocking, but not just for the sake of shock value. It's unashamedly graphic in a way that most contemporary films avoid, making it cuttingly real. It also stands apart from most big heist movies, because it is character- rather than plot-driven.

James Woods is fantastic as always, and even Melanie Griffith (not one of my faves) is very well cast. The young Vincent Kartheiser, however, as a teen runaway turned junkie/petty criminal, steals the show. The camera loves him, and his adolescent volatility is painfully believable. I wasn't as much of a fan of Natasha Gregson Wagner, as Kartheiser's girlfriend, but even she surprised me with her dramatic final sequence.

WARNING: this movie is not for the faint of heart. I am personally a fan of anything that breaks new ground, or that defies convention. This film does both. But it is extremely graphic.