Trapped in Paradise

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Trapped in Paradise

PG-13

1994

1h 52m

Holiday

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

10%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Fresh out of prison, Alvin (Dana Carvey) and Dave Firpo (Jon Lovitz) pull their brother Bill (Nicolas Cage) back into a life of crime. But the siblings' foolproof bank heist takes a tailspin when Alvin gets lost in the getaway car. That's how the criminal nitwits wind up trapped in the snowbound burg of Paradise, Pa., on Christmas Eve with a bag full of stolen cash. With suspicious police on one side and hospitable townsfolk on the other, could a change of heart be far away?

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Critics Consensus

Loaded with talent but borderline unwatchable, Trapped in Paradise will leave viewers feeling the first part of the title and pining for the last.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

09/16/2008

Has enough in the way of sentiment and goofy situational predicaments to put it over as a serviceable family holiday attraction.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

09/16/2008

Even the weather seems tailored to the script's shifting needs.

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Wally Hammond

Time Out

06/24/2006

Cage looks cold most of the time, and has retractable stubble. The rest of the cast look like they're waiting for summer.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

12/11/2022

2.5/4

...a just-barely watchable endeavor that receives plenty of mileage out of the charming efforts of its various performers...

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TV Guide

09/16/2008

2/4

This silly action comedy mixes brilliant production design -- it looks like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life -- and cloying sentimentality to no good effect.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/31/2005

2/5

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Nicolas G

@Samuel_Goldmann Feb 26

this was actually way more enjoyable than the critiques would give. it is a good mix out of a 80s goofy movie and John hughes movie. The acting of carvy and lovitz it's not aux par with Nicolas Cage but this is acceptable. I laughed and I had a good time. definitely a recommendation if you like john hughes movies about the friendliness of suburbs and little towns

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Jesus A.

@beto67 Dec 31

I love this movie! I cried with laughter for almost the entire movie. It's a laid-back film with its own unique personality, and it's not for everyone. You have to watch it in a relaxed state of mind, immersing yourself in the film and enjoying it without judging it as an implausible story.

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Kim G

@WVMountainMamaw Dec 5

5/5 We loved this movie! We watch it every Christmas season and the kids (teens) get a huge kick out of it! They quote the movie all the time now and ask to watch it. It's very family friendly with lotsa laughs. A good time for the whole family! "Hey, don't I know you?" "Get away from me you nut!" is often heard out and about on many outings now :)

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Phil S

@RT72917271 Aug 30

Written and directed by a cat who used a human director as a stand-in, as evidenced by the scene where Nicholas Cage sees $275,000 and proceeds to cough up a hairball, this movie contains all observation of human behavior and dialect and maimed dogs one would expect from feline cinema. Watch for the Hitchcockian cameo in the mother's apartment early in the film. And if you keep telling yourself this, and picture a housecat saying "This is how humans talk" after every Cagey delivery, you will unlock the full potential of this cult classic currently experiencing a comeback.

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Liz A

@RT76180240 Jun 23

My family's favorite Christmas movie. A must watch for the holidays.

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Sean A

@RT09097842 12/16/2024

Absolutely over the top. This is a fun romp with loads of memorable characters and wild story. Yes - suspend reality and have a little fun - it's a Christmas movie.

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George Gallo

Director

Nicolas Cage

Bill Firpo

Jon Lovitz

Dave Firpo

Dana Carvey

Alvin Firpo

John Ashton

Ed Dawson

Mädchen Amick

Sarah Collins

Mixed Nuts

16%

48%

Mixed Nuts

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Synopsis

Fresh out of prison, Alvin (Dana Carvey) and Dave Firpo (Jon Lovitz) pull their brother Bill (Nicolas Cage) back into a life of crime. But the siblings' foolproof bank heist takes a tailspin when Alvin gets lost in the getaway car. That's how the criminal nitwits wind up trapped in the snowbound burg of Paradise, Pa., on Christmas Eve with a bag full of stolen cash. With suspicious police on one side and hospitable townsfolk on the other, could a change of heart be far away?

Director: George Gallo
Producer: Jon Davison, George Gallo
Screenwriter: George Gallo
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Holiday, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 2, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.8M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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