Look at that above picture. Just look at it. That's all you should know about the unreal plot of "Nothing but Trouble" before you jump in and watch the 1991 horror comedy. It's a film I knew I needed to review, but didn't know how.
I simply don't know what to say about "Nothing but Trouble," which stars Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, John Candy, and Dan Aykroyd (who also wrote and directed). An incredibly obscure movie with four of the biggest stars of the day in it is an immediately terrible sign. I'm trying not to spoil the film, but I don't even know what to say from a critical level. The production design and the sheer oddity of it makes it worth the time spent watching.
Before I watched it, I only vaguely knew of it's existence. When I saw it at the New Beverly as a part of a very strange double feature (this and Haunted Honeymoon another horror comedy flop), I only knew the stars and the fact that Aykroyd is in old person makeup. Honestly, the film isn't good by most means, but it's ridiculously strange and entertaining. I don't understand how it was even made.
At the heart of Nothing But Trouble there's a lot of imagination in its set design and the oddity of many of the characters. Demi Moore and particularly Chevy Chase are barely characters at all, just playing their familiar selves. After they are arrested in a former mining town in Pennsylvania, they are placed in the custody of an ancient judge and a grotesque town. People perform in heavy makeup, genders are swapped, and there's a special musical guest. That's already bordering on too much information.
The film bombed upon release, and was universally hated. Not only is it incredibly goofy at times, its also can be dark and gross. There's poop jokes, deformed mutant-things, and literally thousands of dead bodies. It's easy to see why it was so hated, but it's so strange and goofy. At the end of the day, it may be a train wreck, but it's impossible to look away. Sure, the plot falls apart at the end, but it's still entertaining as hell. The oddball performances and strangely detailed and inspired set design make it totally worth watching.
I think if I knew more about Nothing But Trouble I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. I probably wouldn't have seen it at all. I think the best way to watch a movie is going in with as little information as possible. Most of the time it isn't practical, but it's easier and cheaper than ever with Netflix, although it's also easier to learn everything you want to know about a film. I know a lot of people that need to watch a trailer before seeing a film. And it makes sense, as two ours is a lot of time to devote to something that may be pointless.
Trailers are also how people learn about movies of course. With Netflix, YouTube, and everything else, it's easier to find both great movies and ridiculously horrible movies. It's important to know if the movie's tone will fit you and if you will likely enjoy it. I like watching trailers in the theaters- knowing if I should spend $12 on movie at an AMC or something- but I love getting a movie recommendation from a friend or putting on something with an interesting plot summary on Netflix.
Besides going with my gut and friend's recommendations, I love going into a movie blind after hearing about it from a critic or another source. The New Beverly Cinema, with its films hand selected by Quentin Tarantino, is a great source of entertaining and odd films, many of which are forgotten. If I hear that a movie is good, I'll just wait to see it instead of watching a trailer. My favorite film so far this year is Tangerine, and I saw it without knowing anything about it. I think part of the reason I loved it was how unexpected it was, and how every twist and joke was fresh.
Watching a movie blind is a gamble, but for me, there's a huge payoff. Sure, you may be disappointed and unsatisfied with the movie. But it makes the film more effective in a lot of ways. Everyone has ben mislead by a trailer or crushingly disappointed anyway, so with no information, it's easier to have no expectations and allow the movie to just prove itself. If the movie's great, it can be a great feeling, and even if the movie's bad, like Nothing But Trouble you allow yourself to be shocked and even more entertained.
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