Paradise Highway movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Paradise Highway

This dramatic thriller movie will be available in select theaters and on VOD on July 29, 2022

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 55 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

A female truck driver is forced to smuggle illicit cargo in order to save her brother from a deadly prison gang. With FBI operatives hot on her trail, Sally’s conscience is challenged when the final package turns out to be a young girl.

It’s the presence of Morgan Freeman and Juliette Binoche on the movie poster that will pique your interest in this movie. Fans of Frank Grillo will take notice as well when they find out he’s in this action thriller. The film was written and directed by Anna Gutto as her debut feature.

THINGS I LIKED:

We’ve never seen Juliette Binoche look quite like this before! She’s gritty and tough as a big-rig truck driver. As always, she does a fantastic job.
Juliette Binoche spends most of the movie in her truck with the young actress Hala Finley, who also performs well.
It’s rare to see Frank Grillo NOT be in the middle of all the action in a movie like this.
There’s a sad conversation about why kids who are kidnapped in the sex trade don’t try to run away. I’ve often wondered that myself. Morgan Freeman’s salty character gives us an interesting and heartbreaking answer.
There is some suspense mixed with heartwarming moments.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

I thought for sure we’d see a beach scene at the end.
The title of the movie was an odd choice.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Profanity and many F-bombs (several spoken by a little girl)
Jail scenes
We see cigarette burns on a man’s hands and tortured bruises on his chest
A child is kidnapped
Violence with various weapons
You see several people get shot and bloodied
A girl throws up all over herself
We see a young girl in her underwear

THEMES:

Family
Human trafficking
Sacrifices
Past traumas
Abuse
Betrayal
Trust
Loneliness
The US prison system
Conscience and doing what’s right
Protecting the innocent
Community
Friendship

FUNNY LINES:

None. This was a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

“Write a poem about it. Isn’t that what you do at Yale?” – Gerrick (Morgan Freeman) “No, sometimes we write essays.” – Special Agent Finley Sterling (Cameron Monaghan)
“Trafficking will not go away until people stop buying.” – SSA Patterson (Raymond McAnally)
“You’re lucky you know where you wanna go. I only know what I’m running from.” – Sally (Juliette Binoche)