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Once Upon a Crime...

Once Upon a Crime...

Monte Carlo can be hard on tourists. This weekend it's murder!

199294 minPGMidcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Director
Eugene Levy
Starring
John Candy, Jim Belushi, Cybill Shepherd, Sean Young

On their way to Monte Carlo, Monaco, Marilyn and her husband, Neil, meet several other married couples, including Julian and Phoebe, who are traveling with a lost dog they plan to return to its wealthy owner for a large reward. But, when the dog's mistress is murdered, the travelers become the prime suspects, and Inspector Bonnard is determined to track them all down.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Once Upon a Crime...?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Once Upon a Crime... streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Once Upon a Crime...?

Once Upon a Crime... earns 4 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Preferred by Non-US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Once Upon a Crime... worth watching?

Once Upon a Crime...'s Midcredits score is the 34th percentile of all films, from 11K ratings across 6 sources. 39% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

34th percentile

Better received than 34% of films

38th percentile among Comedy37th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)33rd
Approval (how many liked it)36th

56 /100

33rd percentile of all films

36th percentile among Comedy35th percentile among 1990s

Critics 35 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

39% liked it

36th percentile of all films

39th percentile among Comedy39th percentile among 1990s
39% rated it 7–1061% rated it 1–6

Critics 0% · Audience 43%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

83rd percentile

11K ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Comedy77th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$18M
Opening weekend$3.2M
Domestic gross$8.7M
Worldwide gross$8.7M

Returned 0.5× its budget — 71st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

This is a lightweight, broad comedy with a talented cast set in glamorous European locations, but its humor and mystery are uneven.

Fans praised

  • star-studded ensemble cast with strong comedic chemistry
  • fun, lighthearted tone and enjoyable silly humor
  • beautiful European locations and glamorous Monte Carlo settings

Detractors panned

  • unfunny jokes and forced, over-the-top performances
  • sloppy, uninteresting plot with no real mystery
  • annoying characters, especially James Belushi's grating portrayal

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive70

beautiful locations and glamorous production design

ActingDivisive55

over-the-top performances; some praised as energetic, others panned as grating

PacingDivisive55

brisk but inconsistent; energetic yet sometimes draggy

HumorDivisive50

broad slapstick and zany gags; divided camp reactions

DialogueDivisive50

witty in spots but often reliant on tiresome running gags

CharactersDivisive45

obnoxious American stereotypes; some found them endearingly goofy

Plot and storyDivisive40

thin, convoluted murder mystery with mistaken identity

Originality30

derivative of Pink Panther and Hitchcock; formulaic comedy

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Once Upon a Crime... 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 is gentle and 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

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its murder-mystery plot with a light, knowing distance, treating the chaos as farce rather than genuine suspense.
The rideThe mood is predominantly absurd and lighthearted throughout, with a brief spike in tension during the murder reveal and arrests.
StructureThe narrative proceeds in chronological order from the meeting of the characters through to the resolution of the mystery.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you smiling with its chaotic but ultimately harmless resolution and the romantic and comedic payoffs.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

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).Mystery
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%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · 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% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Comedy underneath

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

Why this archetypeThe story follows a murder investigation with a closed circle of suspects, but it is played as a lighthearted farce rather than a serious procedural.

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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% (this title) · Family bonds 21% · 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% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · 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

Romantic love · 15% of filmsMarriage · 2% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on two pairs—a budding romance between strangers and a strained marriage—as they navigate a murder investigation.
StanceThe film follows multiple characters' romantic and financial entanglements with a light, observational touch, neither celebrating nor condemning their pursuits.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticIn transitRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Richard Gibbs
SettingRome, Monte Carlo, and a train journey between them
MusicA light, comedic orchestral score that underlines the farcical tone.

Content guide

Is Once Upon a Crime... okay for kids?

PG

Once Upon a Crime... is rated PG. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (22/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany6
  • CzechiaU
  • Hungary12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 50%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (34 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 Once Upon a Crime... have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Once Upon a Crime...?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

John Candy
as Augie Morosco
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jim Belushi
as Neil Schwary
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Cybill Shepherd
as Marilyn Schwary
Sean Young
as Phoebe
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Richard Lewis
as Julian Peters
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Ornella Muti
as Elena Morosco
Giancarlo Giannini
as Inspector Bonnard
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
George Hamilton
as Alfonso de la Pena
Joss Ackland
as Hercules Popodopoulos
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Ann Way
as Housekeeper

Crew

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What are movies like Once Upon a Crime...?

Movies like Once Upon a Crime... include Not My Day (2014), Shotgun Wedding (2022) and Scooby-Doo (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, several are screwball comedies, and several are whodunits.

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

10 of these 12 share its feel: absurd. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Once Upon a Crime...?

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