Come See the Paradise

1990 "In 1942 over 100,000 Americans were interned in prison camps. In America."
6.7| 2h13m| R| en| More Info
Released: 23 December 1990 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://alanparker.com/film/come-see-the-paradise/
Synopsis

Come See The Paradise is a deeply touching love story set against the backdrop of a dramatic and controversial period in American history, It follows the romance and eventual marriage of Jack McGurn (Dennis Quad), a hot blooded Irish American, and a beautiful Japanese American Lily Dawanura (Tamlyn Tomita), at the outset of World War II. The clash of cultures, at once painful for the two lovers, becomes insurmountable after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Lily and the Kawamuras are relocated To a bleak, outdoor internment camp in California, Jack is drafted into the Army, powerless to help the woman he loves abandoning all hope of ever winning her family's approval.

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Reviews

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment
ThrillMessage There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.
Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
minjoo-00707 It is always difficult to find and acknowledge fault in one's own history. In that sense, Come See the Paradise was a surprisingly historically well-portrayed film, considering that it is a movie made in the US about Japanese internment camp. The movie did justice to the historical tragedy that Japanese Americans had to go through, but also made it acceptable for a larger American audience. It touches on several historical facts, such as the formation of Japanese Citizen League, the loyalty question in the questionnaire, and different experiences of Japanese Americans and the parents who are aliens. A compromise was necessary in order to produce this movie, which I believe was cleverly done. Nonetheless, excluding the historical side, if we just evaluate the movie as another Hollywood film, I have to say it is generally terrible movie. The acting is very awkward and the lines made me cringe from time to time. Especially the scene in the Chinese restaurant where Jack and Lily first have lunch together was too cheesy that it was far from being romantic. Moreover, some parts of the plot seems irrelevant to the general storyline. For example, the fact that Jack was involved in the labor union business seems to have no connection with the rest of the story. The movie is slightly messy before the characters get interned in the camp, which happens relatively later in the film than I expected. I personally enjoy films that are coherent throughout, but this film was not one of them.
ejs170639 While I applaud the writers, producers, and directors for their attempt to depict the Japanese-American experience during WWII, the execution was dire at best. The script was poorly written and poorly produced. In fact, I cannot decide which was worse the writing or the acting. The entire role of Dennis Quaid was annoying, and its only practical advantage was an awkward fumbling of a love story. I take it this narrative was intended to attract a larger audience. To be fair, American audiences are not historians per se, and likely want a dramatic love affair. The one redeeming quality of the film was the use of props and scenery. I suppose the budget allowed for an acceptable rendition of a west coast city in the 1940s. As for the historical accuracy, the film did convey generational tension and discussed the relevance of national identity during the war. Generational tension was depicted when Lily was pleading with her mother, after their long estrangement due to her marriage to Jack. She spoke in English, while her mother responded in Japanese. Another instance of generational tension was when Lily's brother refused to speak to his father, who her brother thought gave information to American intelligence. National identity was depicted by the discussion concerning the questionnaire that asked internees to pledge loyalty to the United States. Furthermore, the film showed the protests of the Japanese Citizen League within the camp. Overall the camp experience was portrayed accurately. Japanese-Americans endured forced migration to makeshift camps in the desert where they were held unconstitutionally.
NateWatchesCoolMovies Alan Parker's Come See The Paradise tackles a little spoken of, tragic period of American history: the internment of thousands of Japanese families in prison camps following the attack on Pearl Harbour, which sparked World War II. After the incident, a wave of frenzy and paranoia roiled across the states, and many of these people were separated from their loved ones for years, an event that altered thousands of lives, but not one you hear too much about in film. Parker is a born storyteller, whether it's historical lore or Gothic genre brilliance (insert obligatory Angel Heart reference), and here he approaches the subject matter with little to nothing in the way of melodrama, classic orchestral swells or tissue box bait, letting the story happen naturally and neutrally, the drama organically rising scene to scene as they happen. Dennis Quaid plays an Irish American man who falls in love with a Japanese girl (Tamlyn Tomita), and over a few years begins a life with her. He is a fiercely independent union man, passionately fighting for the working class, while she comes from a very tight knit family who rely on each other to make ends meet. Somehow the two of them make it work amidst the early stages of the American working machine, the love they have for each other keeping them afloat. Then the attacks occur. Quaid is separated from her and their daughter for over a decade, and the film's pacing makes you feel every lost, broken moment of it. When their reunion does happen, it's nothing like the romantic, tear jerking catharsis you'd expect, but a testament to Parker's commitment to realism. The sadness comes from the hollow, unceremonious way in which these people are affected by such things, and how they simply go on, adapt and adjust, the pain an intrinsic part of everyday life. The movies show a different picture of that usually, an idealistic bubble where things always somehow end up alright, and every last thread is tied off somehow. Not with this one, which is why it may have been forgotten. In any case, it's a beautifully tragic, eye opening piece that stays true to its narrative and follows it's characters throughout bittersweet, minimalistic and believable arcs.
grantss Good, but could have been great. Details one of the shadier acts in US history - the internment of Japanese-Americans in camps during World War 2. Quite moving. You share in the injustice of the situation.However, pacing is uneven. Spends much time building up this event (not overly so, though) but then speeds up towards the end, skipping some details and diluting the effect. A more powerful movie would have concentrated more on the internment camps. A bit too schmaltzy too.Good performances all round.