Big Trouble

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Big Trouble

PG-13

2002

1h 25m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

48%

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109 Reviews

54%

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10,000+ Ratings

Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry's best-selling first novel, Big Trouble tells the story of how a mysterious suitcase brings together, and changes, the lives of a divorced dad, an unhappy housewife, two hitmen, a pair of street thugs, two love struck teens, two FBI men and a psychedelic toad.

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Critics Consensus

With its large cast and frantic comic pacing, Big Trouble labors for slapstick-style hilarity, but it never really gains steam.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 22, 2010

4/5

Sharp, funny movie for high schoolers and up.

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Nov 6, 2002

1.5/4

In this clumsy attempt to merge farce with satire, the jokes repeatedly miss the mark.

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Robert K. Elder

Chicago Tribune

Jul 20, 2002

2/4

Mostly ... Sonnenfeld mishandles the broad part of the comedic formula, preferring repetition to thematic development.

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Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Aug 7, 2008

2/5

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Jul 23, 2007

D

Faithful to the events in Barry's novel, lifts a good deal of his witty dialogue, and recruits a proven cast of laugh-winners. Why, then, is it so resolutely unfunny?

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Film Threat

Dec 6, 2005

3.5/5

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Guy C

@RT84656352 Oct 5, 2026

A very underrated comedy that has a great ensemble cast. I normally don't care for Tim Allen, but he is great in this

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Les N

@Vegas628 Mar 14, 2026

How did I miss this one?

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Darryl W.

@BlackFedoraTheatre Mar 8, 2026

Big fan of Big Trouble! Great writing and wonderful comic performances. Love that in a way it’s a buddy movie but for multiple pairs of characters. Own this movie and return to it when I need some cheer.

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Jared W.

@Jdub666 Dec 20, 2025

Criminally underrated. Would have been far more popular if it hadn't come out just after September 11th.

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Charlie R

@CharlieBRM803 Jun 20, 2025

My biggest revelation was to find this is from a best selling novel by a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. So that's where they set the bar . . . o . . . kayyy. I would suggest viewing Out Of Sight as a tonic after this.

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El C

@RT49658607 Jun 9, 2025

Biggest laugh I had watching a movie for a while, love the Guy Ritchie vibe to the movie, Real fun watch

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Barry Sonnenfeld

Director

Tim Allen

Eliot Arnold

Rene Russo

Anna Herk

Stanley Tucci

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Synopsis

Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry's best-selling first novel, Big Trouble tells the story of how a mysterious suitcase brings together, and changes, the lives of a divorced dad, an unhappy housewife, two hitmen, a pair of street thugs, two love struck teens, two FBI men and a psychedelic toad.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Producer: Barry Sonnenfeld, Barry Josephson, Tom Jacobson
Screenwriter: Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone, Dave Barry
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Sonnenfeld Josephson Worldwide Ent., Touchstone Pictures, Sundale Productions Inc., Jacobson Company
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Crude Humor|Sex-Related Material)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.3M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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