Most critics respond warmly to Trouble in Paradise, with praise concentrated on Lubitsch’s comic timing, the ensemble and the dialogue. The favourable reviews describe a sophisticated comedy whose charm depends on precise construction, particularly the quick exchanges between its con artists and the rhythm of its editing. The Art Deco sets also draw admiration, while the opening image of a gondolier singing amid a boatload of rubbish attracts attention for its sharply observed humour.
The spread is wide rather than uniformly enthusiastic: five reviews are positive, two are scored as mixed and one is negative. Variety supplies the clear dissent, admiring the bright dialogue and stylish montage but objecting to the premise and finding that the film fails as a whole. The reasons behind the two mixed ratings cannot be verified from the available text, so they establish no shared reservation.