Paradise Highway is a thriller drama film directed by Norwegian filmmaker Anna Gutto. This film stars a series of top actors, Juliette Binoche, Morgan Freeman, Frank Grillo, Cameron Monaghan and Hala Finley. Can you make a quality spectacle with the theme of child trafficking and the big names?
Sally (Binoche) works as a truck driver who travels around the state delivering goods. His younger brother, Dennis (Grillo), who will soon be released from prison, forces Sally to deliver illegal goods several times due to threats from his cellmates. Sally also gets the last job from Dennis, who is not sending regular goods, but a little girl named Leila (Finley). Arriving at the location, the girl unexpectedly shoots the picker, and Sally takes Leila away. Sally is not only a fugitive from the police but also the criminals who are looking for Leila.
The premise is exciting and seems to promise intense suspense. The fact is not so. The story is heavier on the drama side, the relationship between Sally and Leila. Although it feels flat and less biting for the thriller genre, the surprising appearance of the French actress deserves to be noted. Binoche is a senior actress whose films are primarily for the festival circuit. Now she plays an American and a truck driver, contrasting her previous feminine roles. Her European accent is still thin, but her role as Sally is far from bad.
The little Hala Finley, who played Leila, was one casting that caught the eye. She can play expressions well even without speaking. Sometimes she can look mature because of Leila’s life experience, but on the one hand, she is just a little girl who can’t think far. While Freeman and Grillo play in their typical roles, we’ve seen so many times. Far from bad but nothing special either. Monaghan (Det. Finley), Freeman’s partner, can balance his seniors well. Casting is the biggest strength of this film, not the issue of child abduction, which is just a patch.
Although the intensity of the thriller is less intense, Paradise Highway is lifted by the appearance of a series of charming casts and the issue of child trafficking. One that feels less supportive is the technical side. The pale yellow colour tone makes this film like an independent film with the impression of being “cheap”. From the theme side, the text behind it is an affirmation that it doesn’t need to be written anymore because the story doesn’t just focus here. Paradise Highway is a spectacle that isn’t bad for casual viewing, as long as you don’t expect exciting action spectacles.
