THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412080618
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E7 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
ANY MOVIE that deals with small-town America in a sweet and nostalgic manner is automatically called ``Capra-esque,'' a reference, of course, to the life-affirming films of Frank Capra.
``Trapped in Paradise'' is, by default, ``Capra-esque,'' but its sweetness is marred by a certain cynicism that destroys any good intentions. It asks us to believe that goodness is dumb. This time of year, with Santa's visit so close, I am just not ready to buy that premise. (Check with me in January.)
Nicolas Cage, the good brother, teams up with his two bad brothers to rob a bank in little Paradise, Pa. The fumbling crooks eventually are won over by the nice folks they've robbed. Of course, their guilt is compounded by the fact that it's Christmas Eve and the town will go broke if they don't give the money back.
There's enough sweetness here to stock a cookie factory. Even Norman Rockwell might have overdosed while trying to paint this picture.
Still, this film doesn't deserve the irate, outright angry reviews it has received in bigger, more ``sophisticated'' cities. It has gotten some of the worst reviews of the year. True, the pacing is disastrously slow and the ``jokes'' beg more than they tickle. Still, there are a few laughs.
Written and directed by the apparently untalented George Gallo, ``Trapped in Paradise'' has a great deal of possibilities. Given another director and cast, it could have been a viable Christmas vehicle.
Cage is repeating himself too often as the movies' resident kooky-quirky guy. Here, he plays the straight-laced brother who works at a restaurant and would rather forget about his two siblings. When they are released from prison, he reacts, constantly and repetitively, to their criminal bents. Jon Lovitz, a remarkably unfunny comic, plays a pathological liar. Lips pursed, he does it in such a glum way you wonder if he realizes he's in a comedy. Why movie producers are so determined to give big-screen comedies to almost every ``Saturday Night Live'' alumnus is a mystery.
Dana Carvey plays the mentally handicapped, sweet-tempered brother, a kleptomaniac who steals everything but is nice about it. This is supposed to be funny?
The Paradise of the film has a lot of fake snow. It was filmed, after all, in Orlando, Fla. It also has a lot of fake people. The bank president gives the robbers money and Christmas gifts. Folks pass out bus tickets and other niceties to the grumpy big-city guys. Cage even falls in love with the bank teller, played by the stunning Madchen Amick, who should become a star once this film is soon forgotten.
Stealing scenes galore is Florence Stanley as the brothers' loud-mouthed mom, who actually liked the good old days when her sons brought home big-screen TVs and VCRs. She's loud even when a bunch of really bad crooks lock her in a trunk.
``Trapped in Paradise'' is one of those films that should go directly to video. That way, with frequent breaks for eggnog, it wouldn't seem so bad. As it is, save your money. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
MOVIE REVIEW
``Trapped in Paradise''
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey, Florence Stanley,
Madchen Amick, Donald Moffat
Director and writer: George Gallo
Music: Robert Folk
MPAA rating: PG-13 (some language, mild by usual standards)
Mal's rating: Two stars
Locations: Cinemark, Chesapeake; Janaf, Main Gate, Norfolk;
Kemps River, Lynnhaven 8, Surf-n-Sand, Virginia Beach.
by CNB