Return to Paradise (1998): cast, story & where to watch
1998 · Film · ★ 6.4
Released in 1998, Return to Paradise is a thriller, drama and romance film directed by Joseph Ruben, running about 109 minutes. “Give up three years of their lives or give up the life of their friend. They have eight days to decide.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Lewis, Sheriff and Tony are three friends vacationing in Malaysia. Sheriff and Tony eventually leave to pursue careers in New York, but Lewis stays behind to work with orangutans. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony learn that, because of their past actions, Lewis has been arrested for drug possession. With Lewis facing a death sentence, the friends are left with a difficult decision: return to Malaysia and split Lewis' sentence, or let him die.
Who’s in it. Return to Paradise stars Vince Vaughn as John 'Sheriff' Volgecherev, Anne Heche as Beth Eastern, Joaquin Phoenix as Lewis McBride and David Conrad as Tony Croft, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, Return to Paradise has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Return to Paradise page.
If you liked it. Fans of Return to Paradise tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Return to Paradise (1998)?
- In US, Return to Paradise is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Return to Paradise worth watching?
- Return to Paradise holds an audience score of 6.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller, drama and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Return to Paradise?
- Return to Paradise stars Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, David Conrad and Jada Pinkett Smith.
- When was Return to Paradise released?
- Return to Paradise was released in 1998, with a runtime of about 109 minutes.