Not Quite Paradise Explained

Not Quite Paradise
Director:Lewis Gilbert
Cinematography:Tony Imi
Editing:Alan Strachan
Runtime:114 minutes
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English

Not Quite Paradise is a 1985 British comedy-drama directed by Lewis Gilbert. It was originally released in Europe under the title Not Quite Jerusalem, adapted by Paul Kember from his 1982 play of the same name.

It was filmed on two kibbutzim, Eilot and Grofit, as well as at the Mikveh Israel Agricultural School.

Plot

Six naive British and American volunteers arrive on kibbutz Kfar Ezra for a working holiday, exchanging their labour for the opportunity to experience first-hand its unique collective lifestyle. When Mike (Sam Robards), a young medical student, falls in love with Gila (Joanna Pacuła), the Israeli girl who is organising the volunteers' work and accommodation, he must choose between a life with her and returning home.

Critical reception

Not Quite Paradise received very poor reviews. Nina Darnton of The New York Times panned the film as "an example of a good idea spoiled by a hackneyed, heavy-handed script, awkward directorial pacing, and posed acting... The script, while trying to humorously characterize national stereotypes, succeeds only in being insulting."[1] Joe Baltake of Philly.com called it "annoyingly schizophrenic  - thuddingly humorless when it isn't shockingly offensive."[2] In a savage review in the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Goldstein argued that an "awkward" and "uneven" script, "a paucity of intriguing characters", and an overwrought soundtrack of quivering violins "delivers a dreary, cliché-ridden film with all the wallop of a sheaf of crumbling parchment paper."[3]

London's Time Out contrasted the "strong material" in Paul Kember's original play to this melodramatic, "caramelized" screen version: "Gilbert has created a toffee-apple with the apple removed: bite through the sweet crust of romantic Holy Land locations, handsome Israelis, dashing Arab terrorists and corny jokes, and what remains is sheer emptiness."[4] TV Guide was equally dismissive, noting, "the world of an Israeli kibbutz is reduced to a few simple-minded cinematic clichés... no different from a boarding school or overnight camp. The only really indigenous thing to be found here is the beautifully photographed Israeli scenery, which borders on travelog material rather than background setting."[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: FILM: GILBERT'S 'NOT QUITE PARADISE'. The New York Times. Nina. Darnton. 6 June 1986. 17 April 2022.
  2. News: 'Not Quite Paradise': Not Quite On The Mark. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150921040804/http://articles.philly.com/1986-09-08/entertainment/26073637_1_kibbutz-ugly-duckling-arrivals. Philly.com. Joe. Baltake. 8 September 1986. 21 September 2015.
  3. News: Movie Review : 'Not Quite Paradise' Is Not Quite That Funny. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160306033212/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-11/entertainment/ca-20124_1_kibbutz. Los Angeles Times. Patrick. Goldstein. Patrick Goldstein. 11 July 1986. 6 March 2016.
  4. Web site: Not Quite Jerusalem TIME OUT SAYS. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160308181458/http://www.timeout.com/london/film/not-quite-jerusalem. Time Out. 8 March 2016.
  5. Web site: Not Quite Jerusalem 1985 MOVIE. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160306152830/http://www.tvguide.com/movies/not-quite-jerusalem/review/107826. TV Guide. 6 March 2016.