Nothing but Trouble is a 1991 American black comedy horror[3] film written and directed by Dan Aykroyd in his directorial debut, based on a story by his brother Peter, and starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd (in a dual role), John Candy (in a dual role), and Demi Moore.

It tells the story of two yuppies and the clients of one of them who are taken to court for running a stop sign in the bizarre, financially bankrupt small town of Valkenvania, which is dominated by a 106-year-old judge.

The tone was compared by critics to films, such as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Munsters.

While hosting a party in his Manhattan penthouse, financial publisher Chris Thorne meets beautiful lawyer Diane Lightson, and agrees to escort her to consult a client in Atlantic City the following day.

Two of Thorne's clients, boisterous but wealthy Brazilian siblings Fausto and Renalda Squiriniszu, overhear Chris making plans for the road trip with Diane and invite themselves along.

Once underway, the Brazilians urge Chris to take a scenic detour off of the drab New Jersey Turnpike, which ultimately places them in the run-down village of Valkenvania.

They learn that Alvin is keeping them there as part of a deep and longstanding grudge he holds against "bankers", who generations ago swindled the Valkenheiser family and put them into poverty.

A series of trick hallways and booby traps land Chris and Diane in an attic room that is filled with IDs and news clippings, where they put together that Alvin and the house are a mechanism for capturing and terminating undesirables, especially bankers.

Diane finds herself in the property's salvage yard, where she meets and befriends Alvin's severely deformed grandchildren Bobo and Lil' Debbull (who are barred from living in the house).

Delighted with the performance of their hit Same Song, Alvin drops all charges against the band, but asks them to stay as musicians and witnesses for the wedding.

Chris and Diane are asked to accompany the police to Valkenvania only to find out that the troopers involved are fully aware of and allied with Alvin due to his ability to swiftly take care of undesirables.

Just as the combined forces are about to dispatch Chris and Diane for knowing too much, the massive underground coal fires roar out of control, finally destroying the courthouse.

Brandishing Chris's driver's license, Alvin announces to the reporter that he and his family plan to move in with his "banker" grandson-in-law in New York.

[3][4][5] The Los Angeles Times critic Peter Rainer wrote, "The intention seems to be a slap-happy cross between Psycho and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein".

Exteriors were also shot in the Lehigh Valley, 60 miles north of Philadelphia; second-unit photography occurred in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City.

[11] Chris Hicks, writing for the Deseret News wrote, "though Aykroyd seems to be having the time of his life as the judge, Chase, Candy, and Moore appear much less animated than usual [and] downright embarrassed in some scenes".

[17] Writing for The New York Times, Vincent Canby criticized Aykroyd's script, believing its narrative had "loose ends", and said "the movie looks less funny than expensive".

[11] The Los Angeles Times critic Peter Rainer wrote, "if you're in the mood to be clobbered with stale jokes, it might seem fitfully amusing.

[8] Washington Post writer Hal Hinson called the film "nothing but trouble and agony and pain and suffering and obnoxious, toxically unfunny bad taste; it's nothing but miserable".

"[21] The same publication printed a second review by Owen Gleiberman, writing: "Most of the jokes are so lame that Chevy Chase can't even be bothered to look nonchalant.

[22] Empire writer Jo Berry wrote: "Unfortunately this isn't even half as fun as the shortest bumper-car ride, with the cast lost in a sea of unfunny situations and badly executed antique jokes on loan from The Munsters all obviously puzzled about why they are actually there.

Club in 2007, wrote: "Aykroyd here has lovingly, meticulously created a hideous, grotesque nightmare world nobody in their right mind would want to visit the first time around, let alone return to."

Thirteen years later however, Rabin stated that he came to appreciate the film, one that he felt worked best once he rejected seeing it as a comedy and instead saw it as "a nightmare-inducing, viscerally unsettling horror movie and meditation of the malevolent cult of Chevy Chase, formerly funny actor, sketch performer and famously terrible human being.