Rating: 
Summary: Not the book, but wonderful on its own
Review: First, a caveat: if you liked the Anne Rice novel this film is loosely based on, you probably won't like the film. Exit to Eden is a wonderful, lighthearted introduction to the world of BDSM. Unlike Rice's novel, the BDSM in the film is realistic, and the viewer is introduced to elements of real-life BDSM like safewords, mutual consent, and commitment to safety, that most BDSM fiction sorely lacks. The casting was inspired, particularly of Dana Delany, Rosie O'Donnell, and Paul Mercurio, who like the people i play with are real people behind the leather facade. Those who are seriously into the scene might find this movie a little tame, with only a couple of real scenes and "bondage" that can easily be escaped from. But the curious will find it a safe and unthreatening introduction to a very real and viable lifestyle. The scene with Lisa, Elliot, and the hairbrush rang very true on an emotional level--and i don't care what anyone says, the scene with Elliot in Mistress Lisa's bath was HOT. There are only a few complaints i would make. Unlike the real BDSM community (or the novel), there's no hint of homoeroticism in the film. The real-life scene is very pansexual, with people of all orientations sharing space. And the casting of Richard was terrible. Most of all, i wish a lot more screen time had been devoted to Lisa's relationship with Diana, whose heady mix of intimacy and formal role has been an inspiration for my own relationship. But those are very minor complaints. Overall it's a delightful film, one i've watched again and again over the years. If i were ever to come out to my family about being into BDSM, i would start with having them watch this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great Erotic Comedy
Review: Loosely based on Anne Rice's same-named book (which I haven't read yet, so I can't compare the two), "Exit to Eden" is a humorous and erotic movie about an Australian photojournalist, Elliot Slater (Paul Mercurio), living in California, who goes to a S&M fantasy island resort for some sexual experimentation. There he becomes a citizen (a slave) and tries to win the guarded heart of the head dominatrix, Mistress Lisa (Dana Delany). Meanwhile, Detectives Sheila Kingston (Rosie O'Donnell) and Fred Lavery (Dan Aykroyd) are trying to nab a couple of South American diamond smugglers: Nina (Iman) and Omar (Stuart Wilson). When the latter two head for Eden in order to steal the pictures Elliot took of them at the airport, Sheila and Fred follow in pursuit, but undercover: she as a guest, and he as the maintenance man. It's a wild goose chase after that, with Elliot chasing Lisa, the cops chasing the crooks and Elliot, and the crooks chasing Elliot--everybody basically in their undies all the while. "Exit to Eden" is a mishmash of genres--involving detective work, romance, and erotica--but mostly it's a comedy, which lightens the load on a dark topic such as BDSM. Sheila is the main comedic relief, as well as the narrator, but I felt the movie was more about the relationship between Elliot and Lisa, a pairing I thought was believable and enjoyable--one most viewers will be cheering for from the beginning. I was also pleased that Sheila got her own chance at romance with her private citizen, Tommy (Sean O'Bryan), since she was, at times, reduced to just being the chubby jokester. Even so, her one-liners are part of what made this movie memorable for me, e.g. "We're the only two people on this island without handcuffs," as well as in the same scene where she's making fun of Nina's accent. "Exit to Eden" is yet another favorite guilty pleasure of mine. If you like sex comedies, then you'll probably enjoy this movie. It's all in good fun. Good soundtrack, too. Rated R for--well, I'm sure you can guess.
Rating: 
Summary: TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE
Review: This is a complete slap in the face of Anne Rice's work. I heard that they initially shot the version of the film that closely parallels the book. However it did so poorly in audience testing, that they brought in Dan Adroyd and Rosie O'Donnel for post-production, AND MADE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MOVIE!! You can tell because the four principals are together only in the end scene. But this effort only confuses and destroys whatever had existed of the original themes. I would be interested to see the original version that followed Anne Rice's book.
Rating:
Summary: Not the book, but wonderful on its own
Review: First, a caveat: if you liked the Anne Rice novel this film is loosely based on, you probably won't like the film. <I>Exit to Eden</I> is a wonderful, lighthearted introduction to the world of BDSM. Unlike Rice's novel, the BDSM in the film is realistic, and the viewer is introduced to elements of real-life BDSM like safewords, mutual consent, and commitment to safety, that most BDSM fiction sorely lacks. The casting was inspired, particularly of Dana Delany, Rosie O'Donnell, and Paul Mercurio, who like the people i play with are real people behind the leather facade. Those who are seriously into the scene might find this movie a little tame, with only a couple of real scenes and "bondage" that can easily be escaped from. But the curious will find it a safe and unthreatening introduction to a very real and viable lifestyle. The scene with Lisa, Elliot, and the hairbrush rang very true on an emotional level--and i don't care what anyone says, the scene with Elliot in Mistress Lisa's bath was HOT. There are only a few complaints i would make. Unlike the real BDSM community (or the novel), there's no hint of homoeroticism in the film. The real-life scene is very pansexual, with people of all orientations sharing space. And the casting of Richard was terrible. Most of all, i wish a lot more screen time had been devoted to Lisa's relationship with Diana, whose heady mix of intimacy and formal role has been an inspiration for my own relationship. But those are very minor complaints. Overall it's a delightful film, one i've watched again and again over the years. If i were ever to come out to my family about being into BDSM, i would start with having them watch this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Comedy
Review: The best kinda comedy. Make fun of sex, even the wierd stuff? Who better than Rosie? That and there were some good looking ladies with itty bitty clothes.
Rating: 
Summary: Dana Delany is Worth It
Review: I have to admit that I really can not judge Exit to Eden properly. On one hand, I was very much disappointed by what Gary Marshall has managed to do, turning a serious study of a dark and complex aspect of human sexuality, and one of the most misunderstood, SM relationships, and turning it into a farce!On the other hand the presence of the gorgeous Dana Delany playing the part of the Mistress to near perfection makes it a must buy. I have to say that my appreciation of gorgeous women got the better of the cinematic critic and lover in me, and I ended up buying the film!!
I don't have a problem with the film per se, although Marshall is a mediocre director at best (his best films as director are Princess Diaries and the setimentally drenched Pretty Woman but still no masterpieces),and the whole film is watchable.
Maybe the subject was too taboo to be filmed as intended, so making it a light comedy with some known talented comedians like Ackroyd and O'Donnel, will take some of the heat off, and turn it into a mainstream movie. It needs lots of courage and and an adventurous director and producer to remake Jaeckin's Stoy of O or Shroeder's Maitresse these days, and the closest film that came close to seriously study SM relationships on screen recently is the Korean art house (ie little seen) film Lies,(not forgetting the 'painfully' unwatchable British comedy Preaching to the Perverted( with a delightfully 'kinky' Guinevere Turner as the 'Mistress')
Now back to Exit to Eden, the other saving grace of the movie, is the casting except maybe for Paul Mercurio.He is not a bad actor, yet the way his character was portrayed in the film is quite disappointing. His attitude towards this whole experience is kind of 'I dont belong here and I dont like these 'games' one bit but I am here anyway to seduce the chief 'Mistress'..which made me think 'what are you doing here in the first place??!! A bit annoying.
So Exit To Eden can be more enjoyed if you forget Anne Rice's book for a moment, and just watch it as a lighthearted comedy with Dana Delany as sexy as she ever was,(hence my three stars) baring in the process more than she ever did in any of her roles.
The DVD is of excellent quality and the making of segment is interesting, esp Dana Delany's interview expressing her enjoyment at playing this character, which was very sexy!.
So if anything, get this movie if you like Dana Delany, and if you don't mind a bit of ligth fantasy on the side..
Rating:
Summary: split personality
Review: After turning Pretty Woman from a dark story about prostitution into a romantic comedy, Gary Marshall tried the same tack with Anne Rice's nasty little novel about sexual obsession. Well, he made a movie that is neither erotic nor funny. Worse, it feels split down the middle, and needlessly overplotted in order to merge the two sides. This film comes from the vast middle period of bad Dan Ackroyd films--put it in the same batch as Dragnet. Sometimes dumb and clumsy isn't funny, it's just dumb and clumsy, like a bloated uncle left to watch the kids after Thanksgiving dinner--which begs the question, when did Ackroyd give up on being sharp-edged?
Rating:
Summary: Why the bad rep?
Review: Well I have to say that I am a huge Rosie fan. I mean she is so hilarious and definitely a fabulous person considering all the charity work she does. Okay, about this movie. Well, unfortunately Rosie considers it to be her worse movie ever, however, I find it hilarious. I mean it full of comedy and trust me the thought of Rosie in an S&M outfit automatically cracks me up without even watching this. It's all about her and Dan Akroyd are detectives and they go to this island where people are allowed to indulge in their fantasies. It gets very creative which only makes it funnier, and it's just non-stop laughter. I would recommend renting it first and then buying it but I have it and trust me, anytime I need a laugh I put this in and it never fails me. I also recommend "Another Steakout" with her in it as well, it is also tremendously funny!
Rating: 
Summary: My take on "Exit To Eden"
Review: I was one of the many individuals who went to the theatre and saw "Exit To Eden" back in '94. I liked it though Eden is not one of Director Gary Marshall's all time best but the content is kinda unusal for a usual Gary Marshall film to begin with like his previous film A League of Their Own, Pretty Woman verus his most recent Princesss Diairies. When Eden came out on DVD last month I had to get this movie. Dan Ackroyd is a hoot in the movie.
Rating:
Summary: WHY WHY WHY WHY
Review: just by looking at the cover I could tell that this movie would be nothing like the book. I was wondering how they would be able to make it into a non X rated movie and still include the best parts and points. Well they did do one thing, they made it into a non X rated movie but they put ROSIE O'DONNELL in it! they turned it into a comedy! Why? why? why? it was a good book! if your idea of improvement is to turn a perfectly good story into [junk] then just leave it alone.
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