
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 16, 1991                   TAG: 9102160457
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHRIS GLADDEN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THERE'S NOTHING TO LAUGH AT IN `NOTHING BUT TROUBLE'

"Nothing But Trouble" features several comic box office stars laboring mightily to wring some laughs out of this pointless comedy. It's directed and written by Dan Aykroyd who also co-stars. With this effort, Aykroyd further contributes to one of life's great enigmas: Why do funny people make such unfunny movies?

Aykroyd apparently set out to spoof the kind of Gothic horror sub-genre that encompasses "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Psycho."

In this kind of thriller, hapless travelers are trapped in creepy backwaters populated by run-amok sociopaths.

The hapless travelers in this instance are Chris Thorne (Chevy Chase), Diane Lightson (Demi Moore), Fausto (Taylor Negron) and Renalda (Bertila Damas). Chris and Diane are New York investment types heading to Atlantic City because of some sort of unscrupulous deal-making that affects Diane. Fausto and Renalda are along to provide bad accents and preposterous costumes as two fast-lane Brazilians.

This band of smug urbanites decides to take the scenic route and runs afoul of the local law in an industrial wasteland of a burg called Valkenvania. It's ruled by a horrid old magistrate played by Aykroyd under layers of repulsive make-up - a kind of Beetlejuice on the bench. John Candy plays both the old man's grandson and granddaughter.

There's not much plot to speak of - only a running gag on how awful the place is and the various attempts of the travelers to escape the fate that the repugnant old monster has in store for them.

Aykroyd brings some gleeful lunacy to the role and Candy gives the proceedings some deadpan balance as the law officer and grandson who questions the rightness of what he's doing. Chase and Moore seem kind of lost. However, that may not be their fault because there's not enough substance to their characters to make them anything but victims of the local psychos.

While there are a few laughs, "Nothing but Trouble" is primarily an unpleasant and grotesque comedy. In his directorial debut, Aykroyd has fallen into a special-effects trap.

`Nothing But Trouble' 1/2 A Warner Brothers picture at Valley View Mall 6 (362-8219) and Salem Valley 8 (389-0444). Rated PG-13 for language and repulsive special effects; 105 minutes.

by CNB