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Big Trouble

Big Trouble

They have forty-five minutes to save the world. They need forty-six.

200285 minPG-13Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Director
Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring
Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Ben Foster, Jason Lee

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. Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry's best-selling first novel, "Big Trouble."

Where to watch

Where can I watch Big Trouble?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Big Trouble to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Big Trouble?

Big Trouble earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Big Trouble worth watching?

Big Trouble's Midcredits score is the 56th percentile of all films, from 33K ratings across 6 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

56th percentile

Better received than 56% of films

64th percentile among Comedy54th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)48th
Approval (how many liked it)63rd

61 /100

48th percentile of all films

54th percentile among Comedy47th percentile among 2000s

Critics 47 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

58% liked it

63rd percentile of all films

70th percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 2000s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Critics 48% · Audience 54%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

90th percentile

33K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$3.5M
Domestic gross$7.3M
Worldwide gross$8.5M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 71st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • quick-witted, quotable dialogue
  • madcap pace and compact runtime
  • ensemble cast of comic character actors

Detractors panned

  • forced, overstuffed plot with too many characters
  • humor rarely lands — jokes feel obvious
  • Tim Allen miscast as lead; miscast ensemble

What stands out

DialogueDivisive68

quick-witted, quotable one-liners

PacingDivisive68

brisk, tight runtime

ActingDivisive55

strong character actors wasted; Tim Allen miscast

HumorDivisive50

divisive — fans find steady chuckles, detractors few laughs

Plot and storyDivisive45

overstuffed, convoluted but fun

CharactersDivisive42

funny but one-note, underdeveloped

OriginalityDivisive40

derivative of Lock Stock/Snatch/Get Shorty

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 16 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Big Trouble like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdThrilling
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Playful
Told as
Hyperlink · 1% of films: Separate storylines that intersect by coincidence.
ToneThe film plays its absurd crime chaos as a light farce, never letting danger weigh on the audience.
The rideThe film maintains a light, absurd comedic register throughout, with the tension and stakes escalating in the airport climax.
StructureThe film interweaves several storylines that converge at the airport, following a merry-go-round of characters.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you grinning, a light-hearted and satisfyingly chaotic romp.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA chain of coincidences escalates into a farcical kidnapping and bomb scare, played for laughs.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvival
its themeCommunity stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeCentral relationships include a father and son attempting to reconcile, and a married couple whose dynamic is tested by a criminal scheme.
StanceThe film treats its crime-and-conspiracy plotline with playful irreverence, satirizing genres like the crime thriller and ensemble action comedy.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · James Newton Howard
SettingEveryday Miami neighborhoods intersecting with a criminal underworld and an airport.
MusicJames Newton Howard's score is light and comedic, matching the film's tone.

Content guide

Is Big Trouble okay for kids?

PG-13

Big Trouble is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for language, crude humor and sex-related, material” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (56/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at moderate (38/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at mild (22/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • JapanG
  • Brazil14
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (33 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Big Trouble have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Big Trouble?

Cast

Tim Allen
as Eliot Arnold
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rene Russo
as Anna Herk
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Foster
as Matt Arnold
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Jason Lee
as Puggy
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Stanley Tucci
as Arthur Herk
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dennis Farina
as Henry Desalvo
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Zooey Deschanel
as Jenny Herk
newcomer then · star now
Janeane Garofalo
as Police Officer Monica Romero
Sofía Vergara
as Nina
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Tom Sizemore
as Snake Dupree

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Big Trouble?

Movies like Big Trouble include Get Shorty (1995), Man of the House (2005) and RV (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Barry Sonnenfeld, and most are films set in the suburbs.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its story type: farce. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Big Trouble?

759 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: screwball comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.