Such a frustrating disappointment

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

What's not to like about this one? It's hilarious! I know he's not the best actor, but this is one of Nicolas Cage's best movies (certainly as far as COMEDY goes, at least). It causes me genuine laughter all the way through. It doesn't contain any corny or dull jokes--quality humor. This is a favorite in my book.

I remember reading a review once, I believe by Roger Ebert, where he said he knew the picture he was watching was in trouble when the supporting actors thoroughly outshined any of the leads. Such is the case here. The few laughs (more like chuckles actually) I did emit were from lines delivered by Richard Jenkins, a fed chasing the three lead characters, and Florence Stanley, the trio's mother. To be fair, a bad script can make laughs tough to finagle, but it doesn't preclude them entirely. This is where the director is supposed to come in and help create some comedic chemistry. He obviously did not do this. I mean, come on, we have a movie starring H.I. Mcdunnough, Garth Algar, and the critic. Yet only their mother, an actress previously unknown to me, elicited any laughs. Particularly annoying was the voice Carvery chose to do. It wasn't AS obnoxious as Cage in Peggy Sue, but it was close. Honestly, doing his George Bush impression the entire movie would've been funnier and made just about as much sense.Soft, generalized spoilers - over the course of the night, all three have a life altering epiphany. If that sounds contrived, wait til you see the love story. Comedies don't need to be well written if they make us laugh. Laughing automatically suspends our disbelief. Unfortunately, I had plenty of time to ponder the writing and direction while I was busy not laughing.

Bill Firpo (Nicolas Cage) tries to keep honest. However his brothers Dave (Jon Lovitz) and kleptomaniac Alvin (Dana Carvey) get early parole due to overcrowding. Bill is pulled back in as they go to Paradise, Pennsylvania to find Sarah based on another inmate's story. They find the small local bank so lax in security that they have to rob it. They have to get the keys to the vault from bank president Clifford Anderson (Donald Moffat). On the way out, they crash their getaway car. They are rescued and brought to the Andersons and their upstairs renter bank worker Sarah Collins (Mädchen Amick). None of them recognize that the brothers are the robbers. The criminal who had the original idea to rob the bank finds out. The FBI led by agent Shaddus Peyser (Richard Jenkins) are also looking for them. They keep failing to get away while the people in town are all so very nice.Dana Carvey has that annoying voice and face. He is stupid in a hateful way. Jon Lovitz is slightly better by comparison. Nicolas Cage is angry and with good reasons. The three brother are so annoying that there are unlikeable. They are unfunny. And the jokes fall flat. The big chase isn't anything fun. It is generally boring and most of the blame has to be laid at writer/director George Gallo's feet.

I'm sure "Trapped In Paradise" was MEANT to be a full fledged comedy, and WANTED to have a heart-warming message to it... perhaps even HOPED it would capture the holiday spirit-seeking audiences that paid hard money to see this. But, I'm afraid it failed on all three counts. Not that Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey aren't ordinarily funny, by all means, no. They are wonderful in their own rights.It's just that THIS storyline, script and direction lost its punch very early in the film, and the three main characters simply could not save it. Yes, I laughed out loud several times, and liked the madcap interaction between Cage, Lovitz and Carvey. But I think I could have written a BETTER ending, one befitting that of "The Blues Brothers", or something like it. Perhaps the next time these three guys get together in a comedy, they'll find a better writer and director. Otherwise, they will remain "trapped" in (fill in the blank).