Ruby in Paradise (1993)

just watch it!

Highly Overrated But Still Good

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Ruby Lee Gissing (Ashley Judd) leaves behind her man in Tennessee to start anew in Panama City, Florida. It's off-season and she pleads for a sales clerk job from Mildred Chambers. She's befriended by Rochelle Bridges. Mildred forbids her to go out with her arrogant womanizing son Ricky. She secretly sleeps with him nevertheless. She struggles to figure out life. She gets involved with opinionated liberal greenhouse grower Mike McCaslin (Todd Field) while Ricky keeps hounding her.It's a great understated performance from Ashley Judd. Ruby is searching for meaning and her place in the world. There is a loneliness in her life that she's trying to fill. The movie is effectively laid back. The narration adds to the feeling of searching. It puts in words her internal struggles as defined by her relationships to men.

I totally agree with the main points of those who have already reviewed Ruby in Paradise. After having spent time living in Florida, I would just like to add that this movie does a fantastic job in creating the mood and atmosphere of living in Florida. Businesses such as Chamber's Emporium are everywhere. The invasion of tourists from spring breakers to Canadian snowbirds is perfectly captured. The contrast between Ruby's two boyfriends made the movie more realistic. Ruby's first boyfriend was easily a mismatch considering he was more like the boyfriend that Ruby fled from at the beginning of the movie. The brainy boyfriend who looked down upon commercial businesses such as Chamber's Emporium captured a feeling that many students expressed during the Vietnam War Era of the 1960s. It was easily apparent that Ruby was well above that type of attitude. I especially enjoyed this movie because it did so vividly bring back memories of my time living in Florida. Of course my stay in Florida would have been much better if I could have spent time with Ashley Judd as her third boyfriend. Ha! Ha!

Ashley Judd, in an early role and I think her first starring role, shows her real-life rebellious nature in this slow-moving feminist soap opera. Wow, is this a vehicle for political correctness and extreme Liberalism or what?Being a staunch feminist in real life, she must have cherished this script. No wonder Left Wing critic Roger Ebert loved this movie; it's right up his political alley, too.Unlike the reviewers here, I am glad Judd elevated herself from this moronic fluff to better roles in movies that entertained, not preached the heavy-handed Liberal agenda.

I cannot begin to describe how amazing this movie is. Suffice it to say, anytime I'm depressed about how unfair or futile things seem, this is the movie I go rent to put me in the right frame of mind. The background music makes you realize the easiness of existence and how simplicity provides for the greatest happiness. The Indian girl that sings is but one example of a character in this film who does not try hard, and is happy as a result. Persifina, the laundry co-worker of Ruby's (Ashley Judd) is another=-her eyes and smile could make the hardest person's day. I watch this movie and I dream of better days to come or of a good conversation with friends, and I realize that being alone--Ruby is alone quite often--isn't the same as being lonely. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a thoughtful lull of a movie.