Trapped in Paradise (1994)

Waste of time

Beautiful, moving film.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

I don't know where to start? Are you familiar with the bulk of Mickey Rourke's career? If you are than you are going to love Dana Carvey in this. Is constant Rourke impersonation is almost as good as Norm McDonald's Burt Reynolds.Then again, if you aren't familiar with Rourke, Carvey may just be annoying.Either way, the movie is hysterical and back when Cage found an outlet for all his over-acting abilities...you know, comedies.It's a great comedy that time, unfortunately, swept under the rug. One that should be remembered but like so many other comedies, was taken as disposable fun.Go back, revisit it, watch it again, you won't be disappointed.

What's the odds to watch a relatively unknown Christmas comedy from a director I have never heard of as there are tons of much more appealing options there, yet fate guides me to watch this one, 20 years ago, Nicholas Cage, John Lovitz and Dana Carvey star as three brothers in TRAPPED IN PARADISE, here, Paradise refers to a small town where (almost) everyone is extremely nice and bonhomie and hospitality abound. But Firpo brothers are no law-abiding citizens, Dave (Lovitz) is an inveterate liar and Alvin (Carvey) is a half-wit kleptomaniac, they merely are put on probation for Christmas since the jail-house is fully-packed, Dave tricks Bill (Cage), their youngest brother to escape with them to Paradise under the pretense of looking for a fellow prisoner's daughter Sarah (Amick). When they arrive the town, impossible to resist the temptation, they take advantage of the lousy security measures in the bank, and rob the dead presidents on Christmas Eve. But due to all sorts of accidental mishaps, they end up to stay at the bank manager's home for dinner, affected by a string of generous treatments from the townsfolk, they decide to return the loot, however, Sarah's father is also looking after the money, and holds three brothers' mom as the hostage (a wonderful Florence Stanley with a vicious tongue), meanwhile, Agent Shaddus Peyser (Jenkins) and two police deputies are tailing them as well, but no harm will ensure because it is a perfect whole-family fare for the holiday spirit. Performance wise, Dana Carvey is surprisingly acceptable as a simpleton with a golden heart, many improvised squabbles between Cage and Lovitz are generically funny, although nothing new can be extracted from this touchy-feely concept of a prodigal who returns is more precious than gold, and the laughters are cheap, one merely cannot be cross with its benign and often naive scenario and it is an enjoyable 111 minutes with no harm done, plus if you are hooked by the cast, you might check it out.

This the only Christmas movie that i watch constantly year after year.I don't know why the low grade.My guess is that people are not using the film properly,and by "properly" i mean: It's a frickin' Christmas flick,don't watch it in July,or after a hard days work in September or in the spring vacation.I mean,what else do you need?it's got great comedy,romance,family closeness and lots of snow,all set in a very easy going small town with uncomplicated inhabitants...the kind of small town in witch we all dream to live.Jon Lovitz,Dana Carvey and Cage are all playing their natural characters without overacting crap or trying to outshine one another.In my opinion this is a slam-dunk Christmas classic and it's to bad for whoever doesn't put it on it's Holidays playlist.

I have to say that one Saturday afternoon, thanks to Sky Movies, I was enlightened by this little move called 'Trapped in Paradise'. What first struck me was the fact that Dana Carvey is part of the cast. He is - without a doubt one of the funniest actors ... ever. And Nicholas Cage and do funny...who knew?!"Yeah we can get some ring-dings! Then we'll get some baloooons and go to the pupp't - show!"That is one of my favourite lines, as is:Alvin: "Who are you?" Guy who saved him from drowning: "Fred" Alvin: "Flinstone?" Guy who saved him from drowning: "Yeah" Alvin:"Oh..."Ah, Dana.Watch this movie, you will cry with laughter, you may even just laugh at Dana's facial expressions, but that is more than enough. x