"Searching for Paradise' tells of a Gilda (Pratt) whose father dies and leaves behind evidence of an extramarital affair which she discovers. Wanting to become a movie industry camera operator, Gilda carries a small camcorder everywhere which doesn't have anything to do with anything. She also falls in like with a young man and then creates a scene in a library when he won't just drop everything and have sex with her. Posing an an Italian journalist, she goes in search of a handsome leading man, ends up cornered by him in his flat where she creates another scene. During the film she periodically has strange visions/dreams about her father...etc, blaa, blaa. If this sounds messy it not because I can't write a cogent commentary. It's because this is a mess of a film which doesn't really ever make sense of itself. It's obvious that Gilda has issues but they never crystallize and we're left wondering what the hell is wrong with the lovely and otherwise likable Gilda whose character is superficial at best. "Searching for Paradise" is a novice auteur's teeth cutter which is floating around on the Sundance channel and available on DVD. Bottom line? If you can't find something better to watch than this turkey, you're not really trying. (C-)
10 Reviews
not fulfilling(minor spoiler)
Redeemer12317 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I mainly watched the movie because of Chris Noth.I thought Gilda after meeting this actor,should have fulfilled her obsession with him.I was disappointed because she did not.Maybe I'm odd,i got caught up in the fantasy of one night of great love with an actor you happen to meet. Gilda was young,but i believe she was at least 21.I just thought this was going to be a movie about a grieving young lady who finds one night of joy with the actor of her fantasies.De Santis(Noth)was going to make love to her,and she freaked out.He quickly got her out of his hotel room.He was kind to her.She had got a fake press pass to get on the set of his movie,and pretended to be an Italian journalist.He did not get angry when he saw she wasn't Italian,or a journalist.I expected Gilda to have a nice evening with her obsession,then go on with her life.It would have made the movie more interesting.
Another hopeless vanity production...
inframan14 December 2003
What exactly is the point of this boring, predictable, cliche-ridden little zit of a film? Are we to be subjected henceforth to the home movies of everyone under age 30? Is this to be our new Inferno? Chris Noth is good but doesn't seem to be in the same film with anyone else. The rest look like they're trying to remake from memory one of Woody Allen's lesser "serious" efforts.
It is all about a spoiled American teenager
LiF_FiL28 October 2003
Oh, I hate this type of movies. The European (Italian) background was just a fake. It had nothing to do with the story. Gilda Mattei thought she was smart and sensitive and blah blah but she was actually a low IQ self-centered kid. The film is terrible because it shares no feeling about the real world that is much deeper and wider that can be beyond the imagination of the poor director.
2 out of 10 for some of the camera works.
2 out of 10 for some of the camera works.
Hadn't heard of this before watching it
labng14 August 2018
unexpected, unpredictable, moving
johna3030511 February 2005
This is a beautiful little film about a daughter dealing with the grief of her father's recent death. Her father is old world Italian and she is heartbroken when he is no longer there for her. She is a beautiful girl, bouncing around like a pinball after his death. She is completely overwhelmed with her misdirected love and hostility. The protagonist is believable in a strange way but she is always watchable. This movie rings true. Without a doubt, Chris Noth gives the best performance of his career. He is a natural in this role. I find that the film is reminiscent in some ways of Atom Egoyan's "Exotica". Rent it now or see it on the Sundance Channel. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Finding herself
jotix1005 November 2004
Myra Paci's film was in many ways, a surprise because it came unexpectedly. For a young director, Ms. Paci, shows a lot of talent in the way she has constructed the film and in the performances she gets from her actors.
The film presents the story of Gilda, a young woman getting over the death of her father. At the same time, it's revealed, accidentally, her father might have been involved with another woman. Her reaction is not typical, as she decides to go away to her grandparents in New York as a way to rebel against her mother. She also goes hoping to meet an actor who she has been obsessed with.
Getting to know this man proves to be a let down for Gilda. This young woman feels betrayed by all the men she had loved and suddenly realizes where she belongs and returns home to make peace with her mother, who Gilda has blamed, in a way, for all that has gone wrong in her life.
Susan May Pratt, is Gilda. Her performance seems effortless. Chris Noth is perfect as the egotistical Michael De Santis, the well known actor and the object of Gilda's love. Laila Robins, an extraordinary actress who works in the New York theatre extensively, brings an intelligent approach to Gilda's mother, who has also been betrayed by her husband. Mary Louise Wilson and Josef Sommer make brief appearances as Gilda's grandparents. Also, Michele Placido is seen as Giorgio.
The film presents the story of Gilda, a young woman getting over the death of her father. At the same time, it's revealed, accidentally, her father might have been involved with another woman. Her reaction is not typical, as she decides to go away to her grandparents in New York as a way to rebel against her mother. She also goes hoping to meet an actor who she has been obsessed with.
Getting to know this man proves to be a let down for Gilda. This young woman feels betrayed by all the men she had loved and suddenly realizes where she belongs and returns home to make peace with her mother, who Gilda has blamed, in a way, for all that has gone wrong in her life.
Susan May Pratt, is Gilda. Her performance seems effortless. Chris Noth is perfect as the egotistical Michael De Santis, the well known actor and the object of Gilda's love. Laila Robins, an extraordinary actress who works in the New York theatre extensively, brings an intelligent approach to Gilda's mother, who has also been betrayed by her husband. Mary Louise Wilson and Josef Sommer make brief appearances as Gilda's grandparents. Also, Michele Placido is seen as Giorgio.
3.5 stars (out of 4)
mweston11 January 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Gilda Mattei (Susan May Pratt), who just graduated from college (or possibly high school-I don't recall clearly), is obsessed with Michael De Santis (Chris Noth from "Sex and the City"), an actor. Perhaps it's because they are both Irish-Italians, as she learns by watching (and recording, and replaying many times) an interview with him on television.
Gilda is very close to her father, Giorgio. She knows Italian, and they share a love of opera and literature. Unfortunately, he is quite ill.
[*Skip* this paragraph if you haven't read any other reviews and want to avoid mild spoilers...] Giorgio dies, and Gilda discovers that he had a long-term mistress in Italy. This shakes her, driving her a little further into a fantasy world.
There's quite a bit more, but I don't want to give away too much. Even if I did, I would have a hard time justifying why I have rated this film as highly as I have. Mostly it is the appealingly intelligent/vulnerable performance of Pratt, but Noth is also given a much more complex role here than Mr. Big on "Sex and the City." The look is also interesting, with substantial use of handheld video, representing Gilda's always present video camera (think Ricky Fitts in "American Beauty"). It's just a simple, well-told story, and it's well worth seeing.
Seen on 11/4/2002 at the 2002 Hawaii International Film Festival.
Gilda is very close to her father, Giorgio. She knows Italian, and they share a love of opera and literature. Unfortunately, he is quite ill.
[*Skip* this paragraph if you haven't read any other reviews and want to avoid mild spoilers...] Giorgio dies, and Gilda discovers that he had a long-term mistress in Italy. This shakes her, driving her a little further into a fantasy world.
There's quite a bit more, but I don't want to give away too much. Even if I did, I would have a hard time justifying why I have rated this film as highly as I have. Mostly it is the appealingly intelligent/vulnerable performance of Pratt, but Noth is also given a much more complex role here than Mr. Big on "Sex and the City." The look is also interesting, with substantial use of handheld video, representing Gilda's always present video camera (think Ricky Fitts in "American Beauty"). It's just a simple, well-told story, and it's well worth seeing.
Seen on 11/4/2002 at the 2002 Hawaii International Film Festival.
Beautifully done
Rogue-3211 February 2005
Caught this last night on cable and was pleasantly surprised by its depth. From the dedication at the end, it's apparent that the filmmaker, Myra Paci, is paying a tribute to her own father, making the film extremely personal, giving it still more resonance.
Susan May Pratt is perfect in the lead role of Gilda - she manages to convey a thrilling (and challenging) range of emotions throughout the film without ever losing the center of her character. Chris Noth (Sex and the City's infamous Mr. Big) is not very convincing in his role of an actor. . .JUST KIDDING - he's perfect too, beautiful choice for the part, and in the 'real life' scenes in the car and in the hotel room with Gilda, he manages to show conflicting emotions very brilliantly as well.
Paci manages to get heartfelt, subtle performances from all her actors; the father and mother in particular are beautifully written and brought to life by Placido and Robins. Most importantly, Paci's adroit direction moves seamlessly between reality and fantasy sequences, allowing us a glimpse into Gilda's troubled psyche by SHOWING it, rather than talking about it.
Paci has done another wonderful film - Girls' Night Out, and there's another film listed here at IMDb that I will most definitely be seeing as well. And of course, any future movies from this most gifted filmmaker will be on my short list.
Susan May Pratt is perfect in the lead role of Gilda - she manages to convey a thrilling (and challenging) range of emotions throughout the film without ever losing the center of her character. Chris Noth (Sex and the City's infamous Mr. Big) is not very convincing in his role of an actor. . .JUST KIDDING - he's perfect too, beautiful choice for the part, and in the 'real life' scenes in the car and in the hotel room with Gilda, he manages to show conflicting emotions very brilliantly as well.
Paci manages to get heartfelt, subtle performances from all her actors; the father and mother in particular are beautifully written and brought to life by Placido and Robins. Most importantly, Paci's adroit direction moves seamlessly between reality and fantasy sequences, allowing us a glimpse into Gilda's troubled psyche by SHOWING it, rather than talking about it.
Paci has done another wonderful film - Girls' Night Out, and there's another film listed here at IMDb that I will most definitely be seeing as well. And of course, any future movies from this most gifted filmmaker will be on my short list.
new director with talent
zebogrph29 June 2002
This film Directed by Myra Paci is a moving drama. The director's talent of developing the characters is a key factor in taking the audience into the inner life of the lead character. Great work for a new director- hope to see more from her in the future.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
