There's A '90s Dan Aykroyd Movie That's Supposed To Be A Comedy, But I Think It's Nightmare Fuel
After seeing Nothing But Trouble from 1991, I’ll never think of hot dogs—or Dan Aykroyd's comedies—the same way again. In the 1980s, Aykroyd starred in some of the most iconic films of the decade, but this particular movie stands out for an entirely different reason. It isn’t witty, nor is it even a passable dark comedy; it’s simply disturbing.
If you’ve never watched it, that’s understandable. Despite its frequent runs on cable, it remains one of those strange artifacts of early ’90s cinema. Its cast list is impressive on paper—Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, John Candy, and Aykroyd himself—all powerhouse names at the time. Yet, the result is a film that baffles more than it entertains.
“It’s hard to imagine a more successful group of movies where the stars then returned for a movie as… disappointing as Nothing But Trouble.”
The setup is deceptively simple. Chase and Moore’s characters are on a carefree road trip when they stumble into the eerie, decaying town of Valkenvania. What follows is less a comedy and more a bizarre fever dream filled with grotesque imagery and offbeat performances.
Given that Aykroyd not only starred in but also wrote and directed the film, it feels like a personal experiment gone wildly off the rails. Coming off major successes like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Ghost, Home Alone, and My Girl, the contrast in tone and quality could not be starker.
Author’s Summary
A brilliant cast and a confusing mix of tones make Dan Aykroyd’s Nothing But Trouble an unforgettable misfire that blends comedy with unintended horror.