Trouble In Mind

I love the work of director Alan Rudolph. I know a lot of people feel like he is the poor man's Robert Altman, which makes sense since he was Altman's protegee. But I feel like Rudolph has a style all his own. And even with Oscar nominations, like Afterglow, and critical darlings, like Choose Me, Rudolph has never been a filmmaker to get the credit he richly deserves. Even though I'm a huge fan, I've somehow missed his 1985 flick Trouble In Mind. I've seen bits and pieces of it over the last 30 years, but it wasn't until today that I viewed it in it's entirety. Here's my thoughts.

Set in the fictional Rain City, this modern day noir stars Kris Kristofferson as a recently paroled former cop who was accused of a murder. Even though he is well respected, he is unable to get back on the police force. So he returns to his old stomping grounds, a cafe ran by a close friend, Genevieve Bujold. She gives him an apartment to stay in above the diner. Around the same time, a destitute couple, Lori Singer and Rudolph regular Keith Carradine, arrive in the big city in hopes of a better life for them and their baby. Carradine turns to a life a crime and gets mixed up with a small time thief, Joe Morton, and a mob kingpin, Divine n a rare out of drag performance. Singer gets a waitressing job at the cafe and catches the eye of Kristofferson, who not only has designs on her but also wants to help her get away from the neerdowell Carradine.

Rudolph really shines when it comes to character driven dramas, and Trouble In Mind is certainly that. It also has this dreamlike quality that feels like these characters are in a state between heaven and hell. They all have their good and bad qualities and all seem to be striving towards the good. Plus Rain City isn't a place in our, sort of, normal America. There's beauty and ugliness battling it out. Maybe it is like our America. The nights are filled with slick streets and a neon glow, while during the day the streets are patrolled by armed guardsmen.

The cast is terrific. I always forget what a gifted actor Kristofferson is. I mean he has worked with the greats, Scorsesse, Peckinpah, but for some reason, his musical career always pops in my head first. But in all honesty, I think he's better at acting. His quiet, thoughtful performance balances out the craziness of the surroundings. The rest of the cast is great too. I feel like I should give a shout out to Divine who delivers a menacing performance that is stripped off the camp he was known for. Well, not entirely stripped.

I highly recommend Trouble In Mind. This is one of Rudolph's best works.

It's available on dvd and blu ray.