"Trouble Every Day"
Shane Brown (Vincent Gallo) has a rare cerebral disorder that causes its victim to, literally, devour his/her lover when aroused. He travels to Paris to honeymoon with his new, waif-like wife, June (Tricia Vessey), but he has a very different agenda as he seeks the help of the world's foremost expert in the field. A chance encounter with the doctor's wife, also suffering from the disorder, triggers events that may save Shane and his young wife in "Trouble Every Day."
Claire Denis blew me away with her previous minor masterpiece, "Beau Travail," a stark, minimalist homage to Herman Melville's "Billy Budd" set in the world of the modern French Foreign Legion. The crafting of the film, the beautiful use of images (by cinematographer Agnes Godard) and the man versus man story created an indelible impression, making me want to see this auteur's next work. Then I saw "Trouble Every Day."
At the very least I am disappointed in Denis's latest effort. Where the previous film and its story were well-defined and precise - there is no question of who the antagonist/protagonist are - "Trouble Every Day" is a confused tale that never anchors itself, mainly due to the obscurity of the story and a horrible performance by Vincent Gallo, who is thoroughly miscast as tortured Shane Brown. There is a story buried underneath the atmosphere, but shoddy editing, large gaps in the flow of the action (at one point Shane is surreptitiously observes his female counterpart, Cole (Beatrice Dalle), then, suddenly, he is in a death struggle with the woman), and the cloak of ambiguity all work against cohesive story telling.
Vincent Gallo's Shane, as the focal character, has the same sullen, grungy look that he capitalized on in his own "Buffalo 66," but it works against him and "Trouble Every Day." When Shane starts talking about his profession and clients, I'm thinking, "Who in hell would go to this guy for professional advice?" Never mind putting your trust in this weirdo. Just looking at Gallo, I get creeped out. This is a major flaw in "Trouble Every Day." The rest of the cast does OK in their roles, but the script and editing do them in.
There is style in the execution of the screenplay by Denis and Jean-Pol Fargeau, particularly in the dark, moody blood-letting when the beasts are unleash by the psyches of Shane and Cole. (These scenes give oral sex a whole new meaning.) Agnes Godard does lensing duty for Denis and she proves herself to be, again (see "Beau Travail" for its outstanding cinematography), to be an artist with a talented eye for composition. Editing by Nelly Quettier is of the slash and burn variety, making me wonder what film was left on the cutting room floor. There may have been a good film in "Trouble Every Day," but it is not what is on the screen. The tech credits and supporting cast's effort elevate it to a C-.
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