I LOVE TROUBLE

US, 1994, 123 minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Julia Roberts, Saul Rubinek, James Rebhorn, Robert Loggia, Olympia Dukakis, Marsha Mason, Eugene Levy, Charles Martin Smith, Paul Gleason, Jane Adams, Lisa Lu, Norah Dunne.
Directed by Charles Shyer.

I Love Trouble is a 90s version of the Spencer Tracy-Katherine? Hepburn sparring and falling in love kind of drama/comedy. The film is a murder mystery. It focuses on Nick Nolte as a journalist-turned-novelist and his competitiveness with Julia Roberts as a rival from another paper.

The film is a good star vehicle for Nolte, sympathetic while being something of a cad. Julia Roberts shines as the reporter. There is a very strong supporting cast in character roles.

The film focuses on genetic engineering, its dangers, especially in unscrupulous companies trying to make money with dangerous drugs. The film also involves political overtones in Washington. However, the enjoyment of the film comes in the partnering of Nolte and Roberts. The film was co-written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer. They worked for many years on comedies like Private Benjamin, Protocol, the Father of the Bride series. When they separated, Shyer went on to direct such films as The Affair of the Necklace and What’s It All About, Alfie? Nancy Meyers moved to direction with What Women Want and Something’s Gotta Give.

1. The title, indication of themes, characters?

2. The Chicago, Wisconsin and Nevada settings? The world of newspapers, investigative journalists? Companies and their huge plants? Washington and politics? Musical score?

3. The opening, the train, the guidance of where the passengers should sit, the news of the crash, the stealing of the briefcase? The investigation, the press conference, the driver and his alcoholism, fleeing the scene, pleading that the alcohol was planted? The case becoming a murder mystery?

4. Peter Brackett, his novel, charm, girlfriends, autographs, hiding from the editor, plagiarising himself, the work of his assistants? Clashes with the editor? With the book promotion? His being sent out on the job, his being scooped by Sabrina, his going out again? Becoming involved with the case?

5. Sabrina, the rookie reporter, the questions at the press conference, Brackett’s advice against these? Her following through, the phone calls, the discussions with her editor, the mother of the driver, scooping Brackett? The gift of the flowers, the gift of the dog? Their rivalry?

6. Each of them pursuing the case, agreeing to combine forces, double-crossing each other, searching each other’s luggage, Sabrina being sent on a literal wild goose chase? Their being in danger from the false wife? Being shot at? The information about the dead thief, number 307? The information about Wisconsin? Their interviewing the contacts of all the deceased on the train? Brackett looking at the video and seeing somebody tampering with the train, his interrogation of the workers? His friendship with Sam, going to Washington, the senator, the meal, the discussions about the son of the owner and his career at Yale?

7. The decision to go to the plant, the guided tour, the platitudes of the guide? Meeting the owner? His wanting to get rid of them, his asking his friend from Yale days to get rid of them? The irony that it was Sam and that he was talking with Bracket on the phone?

8. The dangers, their being pursued from the diner, the hectic car ride, their skill in subduing the assailant? Lost? The boy scouts and the comedy, the photos? Their going to Nevada, their being pursued, going into the wedding chapel, the comedy of the official? Their being married, the return? Their still double-crossing each other? Each saying they would stop the case?

9. Brackett and his return, his going to the factory, finding Sabrina as a tour guide? The revelation that Sam was the villain? Number 307? Brackett getting off the plane and going to Wisconsin? Sabrina and her going to the computer, her being trapped?

10. The climax, the confrontation with the criminals, Sam and his explaining everything, Brackett noting it down? Brackett to the rescue, the fights, the literal cliffhangers? The happy ending? Each of them writing for their own paper?

11. A 90s version of comedy drama, screwball comedy, murder mystery? The continued pairings of stars in this kind of role over the decades?