Everyone knows which Christmas movies are considered “the classics”. Even if they aren’t universally beloved, a handful of these holiday films are recognized as being the best-of-the-best, and are shown throughout millions of households every December without a second thought. Yet, some Christmas films slip through the cracks, fall into obscurity, wither away with the passage of time. Sometimes, this is deserved, but as with all genres, some superb stories are simply underrated. This is quite the case, at least in my opinion, for the Christmas comedic masterpiece, Trapped in Paradise.
This 1994 Christmas/crime/comedy film directed by George Gallo starred Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz, and Dana Carvey as three brothers, the latter two of which are career petty criminals. Through a seeming series of coincidences, the trio makes their way down from New York to the small town of Paradise, Pennsylvania. But they don’t stop by just to make friends. Paradise houses the absolute dream of all thieves: a bank that is virtually unguarded. And through another series of coincidences, the three brothers cannot seem to leave the town, even when it is their greatest wish. Whether they like it or not, the town of Paradise, Pennsylvania, at first merely the home of a heist too good to be true, inches closer to their hearts.
I grew up watching and loving this film, but to my surprise, I soon found that the only other people who knew about Trapped in Paradise were those to whom I introduced it. Even searching online, I found little discussion surrounding this movie. All that was available was a small handful of YouTube videos and one or two interviews in which the cast recounted their disdain of the film. What a disappointment! Of course, I didn’t let the opinions of the cast bog down my own views, but I now felt as though this movie needed some more positive exposure. After all, I want more people to experience the endless joy I feel every time I pop Trapped in Paradise into the DVD player.
Sure, there are a few plot holes that can break your immersion, but that’s really the worst I can say about this movie. In the climax, the majority of the cast is all ushered to the police station, but somehow two of the main characters escape so that the plot can be resolved later on. Does it make sense? No, not really. Does it make you stop and think for a moment? Yes. Does it feel like a few throwaway lines or maybe one scene showing how they escaped the FBI when everyone else didn’t is missing? Yeah. But, as I stated before, that is the only real complaint I have about Trapped in Paradise.
The rest of this film is pure, belly-laughing fun. The starring trio of Cage, Lovitz, and Carvey are absolutely wacky and perfect. Not only is their chemistry together unmatched, but their individual lines and performances are just plain hilarious. True, they don’t exactly look like they could be brothers, but that doesn’t really matter. If you just accept it, and let it go, it makes everything so much more enjoyable. Every scene is full of comedic moments, mostly delivered by the main trio. But even the side characters, who each have their own distinct traits and nuances, lend to the light-hearted giddiness of the film. Yet despite all that, Trapped in Paradise has a surprising amount of heart, too. It illustrates that it is never too late for forgiveness, and that one should always search for the goodness in others. It has a happy, neat ending perfect to put the audience in the Christmas spirit.
It is a true shame that Trapped in Paradise remains so obscure even thirty years after its release. It deserves to sit at the pinnacle of Christmas comedies alongside Elf and Christmas Vacation, but instead it wallows in the shadows, a cult classic if there ever was one. With its hilarious cast, heartfelt message, and overall whimsical tone, Trapped in Paradise is truly a Christmas movie I would recommend watching no matter the time of year.
Russell A. Wells 