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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Sorry, Sad and Ugly Yet Perversely Addictive Head-Shaker, February 15, 2007
It's always: how to come down on this one? Is this film an unbelievably schlocky, poorly acted, horribly scripted, under-budgeted, lamely produced film striving for transcendent comedy? Or is it the blackest of black humor, the wacky, loopy side of mass murder and extra-judicial killing a la Eating Raoul? I just dunno, but every time this thing pops on cable I'm there for the duration. Before I know it the end titles roll and I'm confused and conflicted, and giddy that it's over.
First, Chevy Chase as the headlining straight man? After his best in Caddyshack and Fletch? It's like director Aykroyd is setting him up for failure, and Chase appears to bristle at it through the entire film.
For historical novelty we've got the pre-"Deh-Mee" Moore, back when she was normal, even attractive, despite that horrible pasty-white makeup they've piled on her, somehow missing her neck, shoulders and chest. Her off-white outfit is just as nonsensical, with those so stupid post-80s half-heeled pumps, the lame semi-formal dress shorts, and the faux country club halter.
And then there's John Candy as a self-loathing deputy somehow turned hero, as well as mute drag-queen. His incarnation as Eldona is the only interesting character in the whole film. His Dennis character finds escape with the tacky Latins to Brazil, but what of redemption? What of his direct and knowing complicity in the hundreds of extra-judicial murders over the years? Does the fact that he leaves Aykroyd and Demi to their fates compromise his redemption?
Who other than me notices early in the film, after that excruciatingly lame, low-budge, non-high-speed chase that beautiful southeastern California landscape through which they tour? Note the dry creek beds, the eucalyptus trees, the barren brown mountains in the distant sunset background--this is New Jersey? And on they travel, through the desert scrub, the pinon pines, down the dry washes and through the beautifully wooded vales that I remember so well as the bucolic Hazzard County of yore. Awful.
Okay, a forgotten "shire" in "rural" New Jersey, just off the interstate between NYC and Atlantic City, where a coal fire has been burning for decades? Who thought up this garbage, and what producers swallowed it? Check the facts; NJ doesn't produce coal.
And what's with the Rube Goldberg house, the slides the go and go but still end up in the house? Who loads the traps and maintains them? What are the piles of bones doing in the house? Why are they all femurs? Where are the humerusses, the ulnas, the scapulae?
Note the young and thankfully dialog-less Tupac, and the so unfairly busted Digital Underground homies. It's clear in this overly long vignette that the DU's label coughed up plenty so the band could badly lip-sync their hit. And just like in Doctor Detroit and The Blues Brothers, Aykroyd can't pass up the opportunity to show us how terribly down he is with black music culture by having his feeble and shaky-handed JP suddenly belt out a wicked-cool organ solo as the video bimbos paw him like he was wearing a suit made of cocaine and cash. Puh-leeze.
And then there're the two mutant diaper-babies, Li'l Debbull and Bobo (one of them is Aykroyd), so obviously latex bodysuits, utterly unlikable and truly grotesque. Are they supposed to be cute, the lovably disgusting successors to Sloth in The Goonies? Are we to feel some kind of deep moral dilemma of whether we should like them or not? They're filthy, neglected, with full, sagging diapers. They're both clearly clinical morons, and have been left to fend for themselves in the junkyard, which says a great deal about the overall Valkenvania approach to child-rearing.
And finally, Aykroyd. This was his first and only directing effort, and you can tell why. There have been many interviews in which he's laid blame on the script, upon the unwillingness of the producers to give him what he wanted, the subtle shots at the actors and their performances (he's top-billed), and even the fact that the working title of "Valkenvania" was not used as the release title. Yeah, like these were reasons this film tanked.
And, please, someone, what is with the JP's nose? Just what in the name of St. Alfonso's pancake breakfast is that thing all about? Is it just a really, really bad sight gag, or is thee some kind of deeply mystical significance that is escaping me?
And at the end we are caught in the big joke, that all of New Jersey law enforcement knows about Valkenvania and have been in on the grand conspiracy for years, apparently fully aware of the JP's extra-judicial killings. As they swarm the building, it's sadly right out of "Blues Brothers," the only thing missing is the troopers yelling "Hut, hut, hut, hut!" as they advance clumsily all over the compound.
There is one thing I like, though: the shot where fleeing Demi is in the forest of scrapped Mr. Muffler signs. Their sheer size, grinning faces, outstretched arms devoid of their beloved oversized car parts is some very nice composition, surreal, eerie and menacing, highly reminiscent of Tim Burton's nod in Mars Attacks! to the unplugged glamour and glory of the old Glitter Gulch in Vegas when he has Danny DeVito, Tom Jones, Jim Brown, and Annette Benning flee through the marquee graveyard.
Bottom line: this film seems to be an interesting black comedy concept which somehow took on a life of its own. It's a last-gasp 80s kind of thing, with Aykroyd going so obviously back to wells which have been emptied already, by him and prior co-stars. Overall, it's a serious stinker, but it's still got enough wacky train-wreck mojo to pull me in, every single flippin' time.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
HERE'S A FILM YOU WILL EITHER LOVE OR HATE, October 25, 2006
FIRST OFF: WHY LOVE OR HATE THIS FILM?
Even in our household the opinions are divided on this one. I'm giving it a 4 [instead of a 5] in recognition of everyone else in our family who can't stand to see this film.
IN A NUTSHELL: 'NOTHING BUT TROUBLE' IS NOTHING BUT RIDICULOUS
'Nothing But Trouble' features John Candy, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Demi Moore, with Aykroyd and Candy actually playing two roles each. Candy plays a strange female mute, Eldona, in addition to Sheriff Dennis and Aykroyd plays 'J.P.' the hanging judge and 'Bobo', a huge outdoor only frankenstein-esque relative. This is a film that is obviously a bit too over-the-top for many viewers and also a bit on the gross side for many others. Nevertheless, it strikes me as a very goofy film that features three of my favorite comedians [Akyroyd, Chase & Candy], so obviously I am going to like the film. Nevertheless, I liked 'Nothing But Trouble' enough to add a DVD to my collection where I already had several video copies of the film.
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT: [could be plot spoilers below]
Chris Thorne [Chevy Chase] takes a detour off the N.J. Turnpike to see some of the scenery and accidentally goes through a stop sign in the Village of Valkenvania and right into the twilight zone.
After a rather absurd chase scene Thorne is apprehended by Dennis [Candy], and along with his eclectic party, is escorted to the Village Reeve, 'J.P.' and into custody for an indefinite stay. Their stay in custody is punctuated by strange people behaving rather strangely while Thorne tries to wise crack his way to freedom, never really taking the gravity of the situation seriously. In fact, they are all in danger of being executed, because that is the usual punishment for bankers, which Thorne has been labeled, as well as for other undesirables.
By the time Thorne realizes that he and his party may never leave the judge's custody, it may be too late to do anything to save Diane Lightston [Demi Moore] and himself from being executed. To escape this plight is what this film is all about. It is silly, perhaps too silly to be taken seriously.
WHY SOME IN OUR HOUSEHOLD DON'T SHARE MY FONDNESS FOR THIS FILM:
I do enjoy this film, but many others in our household do not share my opinion. They feel that there are scenes that are gross for the no good reason and that the film is silly in a way that seems unmotivated. Also, Demi Moore seems to have been included for window dressing rather than as a serious female lead, which she is quite capable of delivering.
ABOUT THE DVD: NO SPECIAL FEATURES BUT IT PLAYS BETTER THAN THE VHS EDITION
This DVD plays quite well and is in Full-Screen Format. With the exception of 'Scene Selections' there are NO Special Features whatsoever, which was a big disappointment for me, since I was hoping at least to have a commentary track by the Director and Star, Dan Aykroyd.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing but junk, December 12, 1999
By A Customer
This is supposed to be a comedy? A fine cast of movie comics including Chevy Chase, Dan Ackroyd, and the late John Candy are wasted in this more grotesque than funny tale of vacationers on their way to Atlantic City who get nabbed by the police for speeding and have to face a very eccentric judge and the citizens of a fictitious (thank heavens) town who make the Addams family look like well-adjusted people. The film really isn't funny at all and is not the least bit entertaining. If it comes on television, you'll probably change the channel to see what else is on.
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