I Love Trouble (1994)

A film about a young and ambitious female journalist and her older, more experienced, world famous male counterpart. Oh, I wonder where this will take us? Competing on a big case you say? Both desperately trying to up the other and, if at all possible, poke fun. And, what? Really? There will be lots of sexual tension that will come to the surface WHEN, you say? After they through strange coincidences have to share a room? Who could have thunk it? Actually, anyone could. And considering it was written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer... anyone did.

On the bright side the director manages to make the tedious and lame script keep a decent pace. And with pace comes a minimum of suspense and entertainment. Not bad, but 122 minutes is definitely more than pushing it. Though I still wonder; why is it that every hitman apart from Jean Reno in "The Professional" is unable to hit even the easiest of targets?

So the script is awful and the pace is decent. I suppose it's up to the stars to decide whether this film makes or breaks. It breaks with the sound of the someone cracking a rib-cage open. Badly marred by the astonishing lack of chemistry between Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte. None of them manage to get out of their regular comfort zones, and since their comfort zones don't naturally blend they just seem like two people from a different film that got lost. It really is that bad. Nolte actually admitted in hindsight that this movie was terrible and that everyone had a miserable time. I won't go as far as to say it shows, but the whole movie seems very forced throughout.

Another little bonus for the casting. Robbert Loggia is his old barking self, Paul Gleason and James Rebhorn always deliver. Add to that a delightful Charles Martin Smith, Saul Rubinek and Olympia Dukakis and the movie doesn't lack in acting talent... in other places than the obvious.

As entertainment it's about like going to a restaurant and being served fish-sticks. You'll be full, but quite disappointed. Other than that, it's an insult to intelligence. "Conspiracy Theory" would be a much better way to spend two hours".

3/10