The Beach (2000)
This movie was full of controversy. The shooting was in a national park in Thailand. Knowing that a Hollywood cast and crew was shooting their national park, a bunch of environmentalists showed up to protest the shooting. And things got worse when they found out that the leading role was Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio. Hundreds of schoolgirls joined the environmentalist, in hope of to catch a glimpse of Mr. DiCaprio. But then again, which teenage girl wouldn't?
Another controversy concerns the leading role itself. Directed by Danny Boyle, who directed Trainspotting, he has worked with Ewan McGregor on his three previous films. So this one, being his fourth one, was also written for Ewan McGregor. But the movie company wanted to make more money, and who else can bring girls to the cinema just to watch his face over and over and over again besides Leonardo? "Oooohhh, he's soooo cute." (Actually that is quoted from the girl sitting next to me at The Beach). So Leonardo's in, and Ewan can practice to be a better Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) is travelling to Bangkok, Thailand on his own. There he meets Daffy (Robert Carlyle), who gives him a map to a place, where the beach is "paradise". Richard ask his two neighbors, Etienne and Francoise (Virginie Ledoyen) to come. So the three of them are set of to an adventure in the Thailand.
Fast forward a bit (otherwise I'll be spitting the whole story out), and Richard is left alone in the jungle. First he was lonely, he was afraid, he was feeling rejected, but then he became Rambo. Rambo in a video game, to be more precise. Which is funny, because he only has the looks, not the body of a jungle survivor. But then again, he is Leonardo, and that's enough for three quarter of the audience.
After the whole adventure then it's back to the real world. A very nice ending scene, where the director really shows the difference between paradise and real world. How we communicate using tools, and not using direct methods.
Think of Trainspotting, but this time they're not high on drugs, but on the beauty of pure nature.
Indra Moeljadi is hoping someone will give a map to The Beach, wherever that is
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