Trouble Is My Business Movie Review

Trouble Is My Business ( 2018 ) Feature Film Review 4.5/5 This is one of those rare indie, lower budget films that I really and truly loved. Not just as a good independent film, but as a great film in general. Half expecting some dreary black and white picture, pitched as a noir title "because" it's black and white, I knew this wasn't going to be the case within the first minute or so. What I ended up getting with "Trouble Is My Business" was a stylized, well thought out production, that captured the feel it was going for perfectly. This doesn't just look like it was based on the stylized concepts of the genre, it plays like the real thing. From the excellent use of cliche shadows, from blinds and fans - and whatever else could possibly make a great looking shadow, straight through to comedic yet believable dialog... believable for a film of this nature that is. Sayings like "being a flat tire" and dead-pan one liners, fill the sound space and brought a grin to my face. Generally speaking, Tom Konkle and Brittney Powell have penned an excellent script and Konkle himself, has done some excellent work directing it. It's all here for lovers of this type of movie and more to the point, it's all here even if you're not a genre fan. Set within Konkle and Powell's version of a decade long gone, the props, costuming, and general back drops all scream to be noticed - yet are not the main, onscreen attraction here. The main attraction as it were, is the inevitable story we all know and love... done well and acted brilliantly. Sure. We may not know all the details of the story - and I'm certainly not going to share them, but the staples are in place and guaranteed. The down on his luck private dick. The mysterious dame... and in this case, her sister as well. The rivalry of a competing detective and of course, a slew of villainous characters that are either quirky enough to be sinister, or just down right bad. We all know the players and general greedy concepts, and I feel it's that familiar setting that makes this film work. As for the players on the stage ladies and germs? How did they do? Bluntly... the cast are no slouches. Hell, you may even recognize a few yourself... meaning that we do have some experience on-set. That's not really the point however, not the one I want to make. All the characters within "Trouble Is My Business" feel right at home onscreen, meaning that the actors must have felt at home as well. Lines were corny sounding when they needed to be. Witty when it worked for the scene, and everything you expect from a film of this nature. Since this is a stylistic genre, I have no other way to describe the acting except to say it's exactly what you think it's going to be. Like the other production elements within the film, everything just seems to fit together nicely, creating a film that plays smooth as silk. Even the incredibly lengthy run-time of almost two hours - crazy for an indie low budget film - seems not all that long while you are watching. It's just one of those rare indie productions where everything managed to fall in place. I write that rather loosely, since the reality of things "falling into place" no doubt required a "lot" of hard work. To me, the viewer however, that magical feeling of everything just fitting together nicely, is a movie watchers blissful ignorance. I know, it's a lot of hard work that creates that feeling. A lot of hard work my eyes... and ears... are thankful for. I don't know what's being put into the water lately, but I've had the pleasure of watching a "lot" of independent, lower budget productions, that have been simply splendid. What a great year it has been - and maybe a little scary of a year for the traditional studio model of movie making. "Trouble Is My Business" ranks quite high on my best of the best scale. Did I mention the names on this scale are pleasantly longer than the last few years, yet not quite considered numerous? Quickly changing is the stigma independent, micro films have always been associated with. Crappy. Horrible acting and production. Campy, corny and laughable. Konkle and Powell's title helps raise that bar a little higher, and reduce the stigma in the process. This was a film I am glad I got to see. If this write-up helps gets even one more set of eyes viewing, it was all worth it. Bottom line? This is a fun, visually interesting movie. Congrats to the cast and crew for a job well... well done.

Trouble Is My Business Movie Review

Trouble Is My Business: A Love Letter to Noir, Steeped in Smoke and Shadows "Trouble Is My Business" is a 2018 neo-noir film that takes us back to the gritty glamour of 1940s detective cinema. Directed and co-written by Tom Konkle, the film is a passionate homage to the classics, filled with sharp dialogue, femme fatales, and a mystery that twists like a cigarette curl in the stale air of a nightclub. The story centers around Roland Drake (played by Konkle himself), a down-on-his-luck private eye drowning in cheap whiskey and bad decisions. When a sultry dame named Katherine Montemar walks into his office, his world gets turned upside down. She hires him to find her missing father, but soon Roland finds himself entangled in a web of lies, double-crosses, and a cursed diamond called the "Orlov." Critics have praised the film's atmosphere, noting its meticulous recreation of the noir aesthetic. The black-and-white cinematography is sumptuous, with deep shadows and stark contrasts that evoke the works of masters like Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. The score, a blend of jazz and blues, adds to the film's smoky sensuality. The performances are also a highlight. Konkle is perfectly cast as the world-weary detective, his voice a gravelly whisper that oozes charisma and cynicism. Brittney Powell and Jennifer Rope, who play the Montemar sisters, are equally captivating as alluring women with hidden agendas. The supporting cast, including Vernon Wells and David Beeler, add depth and humor to the proceedings. However, some critics have found the film's plot to be derivative and predictable. The twists and turns, while entertaining, feel familiar, and the ultimate resolution isn't particularly surprising. Additionally, the film's dialogue, while snappy and witty, can occasionally feel forced, like a conscious attempt to mimic the hard-boiled patter of its predecessors. Despite its flaws, "Trouble Is My Business" is a stylish and entertaining neo-noir that will delight fans of the genre. It's a love letter to the classic films, capturing their atmosphere, characters, and dialogue with both reverence and a playful wink. While it may not break new ground, it's a well-crafted and visually stunning homage that's sure to keep you guessing until the final shot. Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars Here are some additional points to consider: The film has been praised for its humor, which balances out the darkness of the story. Some viewers have found the pacing to be a bit slow, especially in the first half. The film is relatively short, clocking in at just under two hours. In conclusion, "Trouble Is My Business" is a fun and atmospheric neo-noir that's worth a watch for fans of the genre. While it's not a masterpiece, it's a well-made film that captures the essence of classic noir with style and wit.

Excerpts from Andy Wolverton's Review of Trouble Is My Business Movie

Excerpts from Andy Wolverton’s Review in the April/May 2018 Edition of The Dark Pages Newsletter Subscribe today! http://www.allthatnoir.com

Trouble Is My Business Movie Review in The Dark Pages by Andy Wolverton

In Review: Trouble is My Business (2018) by Andy Wolverton (Excerpts) “…the more time that separates you from any historical era, the harder it is to recreate it. It’s certainly true of film noir. If you have enough money, you can replicate the suits, the dresses, the cars, the hairstyles, and all the rest. That’s the easy part. The real challenge is in deciding whether you’re going to do a homage or a parody, a tribute or a send- up.
That decision will determine the writing, acting, direction, pacing, and practically every aspect of the project. Trouble is My Business is that rare film that manages to give audiences a visual noir feast as the backdrop of an excellent story, all the while incorporating comedic elements that never waver into the territory of parody.

      Even from the very beginning, we sense we’re in good hands. A lonesome trumpet yearns over a piano and strings as the credits appear in a font that could be a first cousin to the one used in Double Indemnity. Outside a city building, a man wearing a trench coat and a fedora waits. A sedan approaches, its headlights burning into the night before the car stops. The man gets in and with the upper portion of his face illuminated, says to the driver, “Take me to the cemetery. She’s still alive.”

          "In a flashback (what film noir is complete without one?) we learn that the man in the trench coat is Roland Drake (Tom Konkle, also the film’s director), a P.I. facing an eviction notice and feeling the after-effects of a failed missing persons case. Into his office walks Catherine Montemar, a dark-haired beauty in a black dress handing Drake another missing persons case: Catherine’s father has just disappeared and she fears her sister may be next. As easily as Catherine walks into Drake’s office, she also slides into his bed, but the next morning Drake wakes up alone with blood-soaked sheets. As Drake tries to process this, there’s a knock on his door. A loud knock.” ” As with most good film noir stories, this is just the beginning. Trouble is My Business is filled with familiar noir touches that will surprise audiences not by their inclusion, but rather by the care taken in breathing life into them. It’s easy to make a scene more “noirish” by adding slanted shadows from window blinds, slowly spinning ceiling fans and two-piece rotary telephones, but not so easy to have the essence of noir seep through. Case in point: when Jennifer Montemar (Brittney Powell) hires Drake to find out what happened to her sister Catherine, Drake isn’t quite sure she’s on the level. Drake’s skepticism is conveyed visually as he circumnavigates both his desk and the seated Jennifer, all the while walking in the shadows of the ceiling fan. The camera follows both players in this cat-and-mouse game as Drake gains confidence and Jennifer loses hers. Or does she It’s a moment that’s better than it has to be. Seasoned noir audiences notice and appreciate such things. ”

      "Fans will also appreciate a tip of the hat to several classic noir films. Kasper Gutman’s story of the black bird in The Maltese Falcon (1941) comes to mind during Jennifer’s tale of a stolen family diamond. A nice Vertigo (1958) moment occurs when Drake stands outside the Montemar mansion looking in. A movie marquee in the background of one scene announces the showing of Build My Gallows High, the novel on which Out of the Past (1947) was based. Such touches are most welcome, like an unexpected visit from an old friend. ” “(Tom) Konkle’s performance as Drake is everything a noir fan could ask for: an average Joe with an everyman face, a wise- cracking manner, and that precarious balance of intensity and indifference that eludes so many actors attempting P.I. roles. ” ” (Brittney) Powell is stunning as Jennifer: tough and desperate, vulnerable and vehement, coy and aggressive. Although Vernon Wells as Detective Barry Tate goes a bit over the top, the supporting performances are generally excellent. (Jana Banker does more acting with her eyes in a few brief moments as a hotel receptionist than most actors can do given an hour. As director, Konkle stays true to the roots of film noir, yet isn’t afraid to have fun. Trouble is My Business has a strong noir look and structure that will appeal to veteran film noir fans while the action and comedic elements could win over less-seasoned audiences. Such a balancing act is hard to pull off, but Konkle and company have done a masterful job. Trouble is My Business is a marvelous independent film that deserves a wide audience…”