Paradise: A Town of Sinners and Saints

With a spectacular & melodic, foot-tappin' country-bluegrass soundtrack of original music by CLIFF WAGNER, the new musical comedy 'PARADISE: A Town of Sinners & Saints' (2024) written by National Lampoon alumni, BILL ROBERTSON & TOM SAGE, is a small town celebration of all things right, wrong & a little bit of everything in-between. In a refreshing twist, we finally have a current & hilarious non-PC script poking fun at blind obedience to authoritarians and religious cult leaders. JON ROOT is absolutely fabulous as 'John Cyrus Mountain' who spellbounds the townfolk with his used-car salesman razzmatazz. Filmed as a live performance sans audience, viewers get to fill-in the unforced bawdy laughs from beginning to end. Even if you're not particularly a fan of musicals, THIS is the type of show you can share with your dry, curmudgeonly family & friends. And believe me, as one who rarely writes-up these types of reviews, you really WILL be singing half of these head-bobbin' tunes for days afterwards. BRAVO to the entire cast & crew for this lighthearted, feel-good affair for ANYONE looking for a temporary escape...to PARADISE, that is!

I had the pleasure of watching this movie on Xumo Play, and wow, what an experience! "Paradise" is a rollercoaster of emotions, brilliantly weaving humor with thought-provoking themes that keep you engaged from start to finish. The cinematography alone is a feast for the eyes, presenting a visually dazzling spectacle that complements the storyline beautifully.

The musical numbers are absolutely infectious, with melodies that stick with you long after the credits roll. Each song brings its own flair to the narrative, enhancing the unfolding drama and comedy within the quaint town of Paradise.

The cast is phenomenal. They fully embody their quirky roles and clearly have a blast doing so. A special shoutout is deserved for Raquel Castro, who, as Chastity Jones, delivers a standout performance that is both heartfelt and hilariously sharp.

For anyone who has a soft spot for musicals, "Paradise: A Town of Sinners & Saints" is a must-watch. It's not just entertainment; it's a celebration of what musicals can be-fun, insightful, and visually stunning.

Highly recommend!

Just saw 'Paradise: A Town of Sinners and Saints' and wow, what a treat! It's a bluegrass musical comedy that feels like a blast from the past, combining the heart of 'Waitress' with the humor of 'Hee Haw.' The story is all about good versus evil in a quirky coal mining town, and it's both campy and touching. The music is the real star here-totally delightful with catchy, toe-tapping tunes that had the whole audience clapping along. The cast brings such energy and charm, making it impossible not to fall in love with the town and its residents. If you're looking for a fun night out that feels like a cozy throwback, this is it. Absolutely loved it.

If you want a good laugh and love good music, this is the movie for you! I don't want to do a plot summary, (BORING!) because it won't do this satirical masterpiece justice (I am being sarcastic, I don't think it's really a masterpiece, but it sure is 2 hours of fun, with great bluegrass music, hilarious lyrics, witty and offbeat jokes, wacky characters that you come to love, a romance with heart and a strange meet-cute, and a devil and a stripper trying to convince a town to do a reality show and fail miserably)! If you don't want formula, like out of the box indie films (not your dark and brooding, moody kind, but the ones that break the rules, for real), than this just might be your blue grass musical comedy poison.

There is nothing like this out there right now! It reminds me of the old school films that didn't care about being PC. But yet, under all the jokes are characters you come to love and realize they are just not educated and all learn to appreciate each other and grow into loving characters. The woman playing the lead has the most beautiful voice, she could be a country star! There aren't any big names, but I recognize some of the cast, and they are so talented, singing and dancing. It was a fun and crazy ride, I really enjoyed it. I hope more people get to see it, since it isn't a big studio movie. Go watch it and kick back, tap your knee to the blue grass tunes then watch it again and sing along! Two thumbs up!