Trouble Every Day by Claire Denis

Trouble Every Day

Directed by Claire Denis

Written by Claire Denis

Starring: Vincent Gallo

                 Tricia Vessey

        Beatrice Dalle

        Alex Descas

**** (4 out of 5 stars)

Claire Denis' film Trouble Every Day has been panned by a lot of critics, but it has also received a lot of praise.  Me, I definitely think it's one of the more disturbing, innovative and thoughtful films to come out of the horror genre in a long time.  This film is about lust at the most base of all forms, an animalistic urge that drives some to the edge of sanity; two separate stories unfold and eventually become one as we watch Vincent Gallo's character Shane try hard not to have sexual intercourse with his new wife, for what reason we don't really know, but we get an idea that it's the same thing that Beatrice Dalle's character is experiencing.  Shane and his new wife seem happy enough but we slowly see that Shane knows more than what his wife does, and that he's desperate to find a way out.  The movie is gory in parts, subtle in others, creepy at points and very thought provoking the whole way through.  

The acting is fairly spot on in this movie.  Vincent Gallo, who I really enjoy due to the strange air he has, is a hit or miss- he hits the nail on the head of this performance.  We watch him struggle throughout the whole film.  One scene in particular comes to mind where he and his new wife are laying together in bed, back on to one another, and she is touching his arm- he slowly moves his arm away and curls into the fetal position, obviously in mental anguish.  It's a very relaxed performance which is great because it definitely could look strained if the actor were a lot less talented; Gallo seems to understand this role very well.  Beatrice Dalle plays a character who is the wife of a doctor, played by Alex Descas, and she also has the same 'disease' as what we assume Gallo suffers from.  However, we see the carnage she unleashes whereas we mostly watch Gallo suffer through the emotions (until near the end); she is a sexual, killing machine.  Her husband locks her in the house by day when he leaves so as to not create chaos; we get the impression he is struggling to figure out how to cure her and help her get rid of this ailment.  The supporting actors are all wonderful as well, but it is because of the lead actors/actress that this movie excels.
       The dynamic really plays on Gallo and Dalle, the both of them cursed with some sort of sexual sickness.  To have people in different relationships, one in each with this sickness, it really makes it very interesting to see two people that are so isolated and yet so the same.  Eventually when they finally come together, Gallo seems to want to overcome the disability so bad that he takes it all out on her.  Of course this solves nothing, but it's all a part of it- the rage.  Then afterwards we see Gallo completely give into the urge, and he's fine.. for now.

Claire Denis has written a very innovative script, in my mind.  The idea of how a certain type of plant or insect kills its mate in sexual cannibalism can be transposed to a story about two human beings who suffer from the same infliction is absolutely spectacular!  One of the more ingenious scripts in recent years for the horror genre.  This is what horror needs is new blood instead of remaking classic movies from 40 years ago.  The dialogue is also very believable and natural, which helps in making everything more human.  That's what this movie is all about- human nature, human instinct, human need in excess.  I'm very impressed with Claire Denis and I hope that she might continue in creating some new life for the horror genre.

I had to watch this film with spanish subtitles because it was the only version I could find, and I still loved it.  I give it a four star rating only because I really would have liked more explanations.  Now I was still very satisfied with the film but it would have been fun to see more about what was going on, and if there was any hope.  Maybe a few more kills.  All in all, a great film.