'Two Tickets to Paradise' Review: D.B. Sweeney Makes A Movie For 'Guys Like Us'

Long Island native D.B. Sweeney knew a lot of people in Manhattan on Sept. 11th, 2001. Many of his friends were New York firefighters, who went through a particular kind of hell in the months that followed. The funerals of fallen friends and coworkers went on for months not only because of logistics but also because of the overwhelming desire to make sure that each of their comrades was properly honored.

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Sweeney spent some time visiting firefighter friends during those dark months and noticed the ongoing toll that was being taken on the group that had already lost the most in the attacks. Seeing firsthand how much of that toll was being drowned in alcohol, Sweeney suggested one night that maybe an alternative escape could be found, like going to a movie. One of the firefighters gave a derisive chuckle and said, “A movie? They don’t make movies for guys like us anymore.”

Having always been content to be an actor, Sweeney had never considered the writer/director route but decided this was a chance to help out some people who could really use it. He teamed up with Brian Currie to write a script and the result was Two Tickets To Paradise, which has just been re-released on DVD (it hit Wal-Mart shelves yesterday).

It’s a buddy/road trip movie with just the right balance of guy humor and poignancy. Along with Sweeney, the movie stars John C. McGinley (Scrubs) and Paul Hipp as three old high school friends rushing headlong towards their mid-life crises and wondering where all the youthful promise had been squandered along the way.

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The formula may not be new but it’s what is called for given Sweeney’s target audience. While attempting to outrun the perils of adulthood, the three men drunkenly revert to any kind of juvenile behavior they can find. Some of the funniest moments will make every man watching immediately remember something almost exactly the same happening between him and his high school buddies.

The underlying message of male bonding and guys being there for their friends no matter what may be too sappy at other times but fits well when the background of Two Tickets is understood. Sweeney’s focus on a “guys like us” movie makes it work in the end.

Sweeney was originally offered a decent amount of money from a major (to remain unnamed) studio to make the movie but was told it was a no-go unless two overtly “political” lines were removed from the script. One of the lines in question was the mere mention of supporting a guy because he was a vet. Sweeney decided to forgo the big money and procure the funding on his own to make sure the movie was made properly. He was ultimately able to make the movie for a fraction of the cost but still get actors like Moira Kelly, Pat Hingle and Ed Harris to appear.

His desire to be able to partially pay back the largest investor led Sweeney to opt for an early DVD release, which then precluded a theatrical release. The film did well in several festivals and Sweeney never lost his original desire to “get this movie into the hands” of people who can use a distraction and some entertainment, like firefighters and our active military. This re-release of the DVD is intended to help raise awareness and some money to do just that.

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