Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

tdelamont This 1993 film by Victor Nunez, Starring Ashley Judd, is a slow-paced character study that takes its time going nowhere in particular, and does it beautifully. It tells the story of Ruby Lee Gissing, a young woman who packs up her old beater of a car one day and just drives out of her dead-end life in a rural Tennessee backwater in search of something, anything, better.This isn't the sort of film that builds up to a melodramatic moment where Ruby must decide whether to stay or go. In fact, the very first scene with her driving away with her old life (literally) in her rear-view mirror would have made a great final scene to another movie. Instead, we really don't know much of her backstory, other than she's finally, as she says later, "Made it out of Tennessee without getting beat up or pregnant."For no reason other than a pleasant memory of a vacation she had as a child, she lands in a seaside tourist town (Panama City Beach). Unfortunately, it is the off-season and it looks as if she may may have traded one future-less existence for another.Here the movie takes a subtle turn. She finds a job (not a great one, but it pays the bills). She starts keeping a journal. She makes friends. She makes missteps with relationships. She starts building a new life that isn't going to change the world but it is better than the one she left behind. It all unfolds by degrees that some will find dull but many will find true and familiar and poignant. By the end of the movie we realize that paradise can be what you make of it. And we know that Ruby will be just fine.This movie is currently posted on YouTube and has never been released in any other format other than VHS. See it while you can.

muggcharles I totally agree with the main points of those who have already reviewed Ruby in Paradise. After having spent time living in Florida, I would just like to add that this movie does a fantastic job in creating the mood and atmosphere of living in Florida. Businesses such as Chamber's Emporium are everywhere. The invasion of tourists from spring breakers to Canadian snowbirds is perfectly captured. The contrast between Ruby's two boyfriends made the movie more realistic. Ruby's first boyfriend was easily a mismatch considering he was more like the boyfriend that Ruby fled from at the beginning of the movie. The brainy boyfriend who looked down upon commercial businesses such as Chamber's Emporium captured a feeling that many students expressed during the Vietnam War Era of the 1960s. It was easily apparent that Ruby was well above that type of attitude. I especially enjoyed this movie because it did so vividly bring back memories of my time living in Florida. Of course my stay in Florida would have been much better if I could have spent time with Ashley Judd as her third boyfriend. Ha! Ha!

briner-2 "Ruby in Paradise" is a beautiful, coming-of-age story about a young woman, Ruby Lee Gissing, escaping her stifling roots to become herself. Although the title character is played artfully by the gorgeous Ashley Judd -- in likely her first movie role, albeit one to be quite proud of -- the emphasis is not upon becoming "somebody," a la the next Madonna (whether Jesus' mother or the lurid, attention-hungry singer).It instead emphasizes following ones' instincts and being somewhat introspective about them, to grow into one's ideal, adult self. NOTE: This isn't an action movie!!! It uses an occasional voice-over narration (by Ms. Judd) while writing in her journal -- and oh, I see I've just lost the male half of the readers out there. But be patient with this beautiful movie, where we learn that one's bliss can be discovered in -- oh, I dunno, carrying water and chopping wood.Actor/director/writer Todd Field, who played Nick Nightingale in "Eyes Wide Shut," co-stars as Ruby Lee's noble love interest, one who helps her heal her idea of relationships implanted from youth.But not even his character is the answer for Ruby Lee: There's no external hero imposed upon her. The ultimate message is that we are responsible for ourselves. Writer/director Victor Nunez, who also wrote/directed "Ulee's Gold," did an amazing job showing a young woman growing into herself -- confronting age-old challenges of good v. evil along the way.The supporting cast is also stellar, and the music used, particularly the cuts by chanteuse Sam Phillips (whom I hear is the wife of T. Bone Burnett), is right on -- most especially "Trying to Hold on to the Earth." Now, when I hear the first few chords of that song, tears spring to my eyes, Pavlovian and unbidden -- not sure if it's the music, or the indelible connection to the movie's quiet, charming message of empowerment.This movie is highly recommended for any young person trying to find his/her way. For any woman of any age, it is a must see! The downside: It is NOT on DVD, except in Spanish. (We learned, however, that it is legal to make one copy of a VHS version, which can be readily found online. My beloved husband found someone with a VHS copy and got a DVD copy made for me.) Although this treasure of a movie occasionally pops up on-air – on an indie channel, usually – you can't count on that when you might need it most as a tonic to soothe the pressures of the world. So buy a copy for yourself.This movie should have a major re-release, and it would, if I were Queen of Hollywood.-- Figgy Jones

saustinman I remember 1993 as a year of great female performances. You had Angela Bassetts striking interpretation as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do With It; Debra Winger as the dying American Joy Gresham in Shadowlands; Winona Ryder manipulative as May Welland in The Age of Innocence; and the silent power in Holly Hunters performance in The Piano. But as great as these performances were, no performance was better than Ashley Judds, Ruby Lee Gissing in Ruby In Paradise.What a GREAT film.There are scenes in this film that ring a sense of truth to what we say and act on, in human nature, as "real" people and not of what Hollywood synthesizes the fake emotions of what human nature should be like. Take for example in the scenes where Ruby trying to be employed and make an existence for herself; trying to work for living. If this was a big Hollywood studio film, her character would be receiving monthly support payments from God. Ashley Judd, and director Victor Nunez, do a great dance of allowing the character to make choices that are truthful and not false. Other film recommendations on similar themes see Erick Zonka's Dreamlife of Angels.