How far would you go to find something different? To the other side of town; other side of the country maybe? The Twentieth Century Fox film “The Beach” shows how far tourists will go to experience something different; even to the other side of the world. Richard, (Leonardo Di Caprio) is an American backpacker looking for adventure. He winds up in Bangkok, Thailand at a cheap hotel. While there he meets a traveling French couple Etienne (Guillaume Canet) and Francoise (Virginie Ledoyen). Daffy (Robert Carlyle) a burnt out, paranoid, traveler also is rooming at the hotel. He tells Richard of a secret island that is nothing less than paradise on earth. The next day Richard finds a map to the mythical place, and decides to go there. He convinces the French couple to join him and they embark on a journey to discover their something different. Once they reach their destination, the trio realizes all of their preconceived notions about paradise were wrong; they are not alone. This movie is non-conventional to say the least. The plot is very complex and the movie deals with several overlapping issues that at times are hard to follow. The movie tries to examine the importance of being in some type of society. It shows how, without civilized dwellings, we can easily revert back to our animal instincts. Another issue is how far someone would go to keep paradise a secret. The answer to this question is shocking and sad because one would think a beautiful place should be shared with all. Overall, the movie is a wake-up call to those who think a change of lifestyle or a search for something different will help them to escape themselves. Everything costs, even paradise.