Paradise is neither fiction nor documentary. It is a diary, an essay, spanning over 10 years, 9 countries and 24 cities. Almereyda may not be the first to have used this form (Jonas Mekas comes to mind), but he certainly offers a unique opus, with a shadowy self-portrait and at the same time a space for the audience to see, feel, and embrace. The entire film seems to be guided by a wandering eye, observing our world with great sensibility and tenderness. Children and adults, friends and strangers, landscapes and seasons unfold in a poetic journey. There is no narrative to follow, no drama to get excited about, no cause to engage in. Shots and scenes simply glide by, then gracefully melt into each other. So do time, space, portraits and fragments of life. Paradise is simple but miraculous, just as most ordinary things and moments in life can be extraordinary, if watched attentively.
