Why I refuse to watch Ticket to Paradise movie

Phil Brown won’t go to see this popular Julia Roberts and George Clooney flick - and here’s the reason why.

One of my favourite movies is Woody Allen’s charming Midnight in Paris.

And one of the things I love about it is it is set in Paris and filmed in Paris. I have no problem with that.

I do, however, have a problem with films pretending to be set somewhere when they are actually filmed somewhere else. This kind of spoils it for me.

Take, for example, Ticket to Paradise starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts. I’m sure it’s charming and I love those lead actors but the setting is supposed to be Bali. But I cannot unknow the fact that it was filmed in Queensland. This makes me hesitant to see it.

Ticket to Paradise was filmed in Queensland.

All the way through I would be recognising bits of my own state. I know one is supposed to suspend disbelief but I just can’t.

I find it even harder when I recognise people who are in the movie. Like I’ll be watching something and then I’ll go … “Hey isn’t that Bryan Probets?”

If I didn’t know a movie was shot here it wouldn’t matter but everyone is so damn proud of them being shot here that they spoil it by going on and on about it.

I haven’t seen Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic yet although I’m keen. But there is a problem. I know it was filmed on the Gold Coast and I have interviewed Aussie actors who are in it. That spoils the mystique for me.

Baz Luhrmann in his new studios on the Gold Coast. Picture: Jerad Williams

Another case in point is the disaster film San Andreas starring The Rock. I love disaster movies. The first time I saw it they were in a car driving in a rural setting and I said to my wife, “What the hell? That’s Beaudesert!” Nothing wrong with Beaudesert unless you’re trying to pretend it’s California.

I know they are now shooting the epic Disney+ sci-fi adventure series Nautilus on the Gold Coast.

A friend’s son is in it, playing some sort of naval officer. Great for him but not for me. It might not be for my demographic anyway but it’s a take on a classic Jules Verne adventure which I would find attractive.

If it’s set on the Gold Coast you can film it on the Gold Coast. Like The Coolangatta Gold. Bad example actually because that film is an absolute turkey. But you get my drift, don’t you?