Trapped in Paradise

Play trailer

Trapped in Paradise

PG-13

1994

1h 52m

Holiday

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

10%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

42%

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?

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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.

Go to Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

09/16/2008

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

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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...

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/31/2005

2/5

Read all reviews

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 :)

See more

Phil S

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.

See more

Liz A

Jun 23

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

See more

Sean A

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.

See more

Glorbo J

12/07/2024

I don't know who decided to put the master of disguise in a movie with Nicholas Cage but I DO know why it never happened again because this movie misses pretty much every mark it attempted to hit. Definitely a silly, weird and off the mark film. Still had a few genuinely funny moments even if just for the adsurdity of it, like what even is happening. Probably something to watch with the family at Christmas.

See more

Jamey F

11/17/2024

Legit one of our faves! Also, everyone I introduce to this movie loves it. We quote this movie year round…it’s a classic! Ignore the bad reviews-it’s a conspiracy!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

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

Watchlist

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

72%

86%

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Watchlist

TRAILER

for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Home for the Holidays

63%

71%

Home for the Holidays

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Home for the Holidays

P.C.U.

50%

75%

P.C.U.

Watchlist

Surviving Christmas

8%

31%

Surviving Christmas

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Surviving Christmas

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now