I have little doubt that Trouble Every Day is, in fact, the most divisive film on The Midnight Selections. It is a horror film made with little to no appreciation of the expectations of horror fans. And it is probably the oddest film to be associated with the New French Extremity movement. 

But there is also something fascinating, even liberating, about a cinematic work that truly is marching to its own drum. Like Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now or Julia Ducournau’s Raw, Claire Denis’ film really ends up being its own thing. And if you are a fan of gore, there is definitely some sick stuff to see in this one.

There is no doubt that Claire Denis’ reputation took a serious hit after Trouble Every Day was released. When she released Beau Travail, she was arguably at the high point of her career and Trouble Every Day was the long awaited follow up. When it premiered at Cannes it must have caught many off guard. The premiere was met with boos and walkouts. Two women even reportedly fainted and an ambulance had to be called to the theater. 

Trouble Every Day starts with a woman (Béatrice Dalle) dressed provocatively standing near a van. A trucker stops and approaches. 

Later, at night, a man (Alex Descas) on a motorcycle is seen searching for the woman. He first sees the truck suspiciously abandoned, with the door open. He then sees the van. While walking in a corn field, the man finds the dead body of the trucker. He then sees the woman uninjured, but with blood covering her mouth and neck. Has she been eating? The man says nothing, instead kissing her on the forehead. They have clearly been through this routine before.

Next we meet Shane (Vincent Gallo) and June (Tricia Vessey), two newlyweds on their way to Paris for their honeymoon. But why does Shane fantasize about his wife bloodied?

Welcome to the wonderful world of vampiric cannibals. 

Calling Trouble Every Day a slow-burn is an understatement. One of the reasons the movie is so divisive is because the first hour moves at a snail’s pace. But if you pay attention, there is still lots to appreciate. For one thing, there’s that enjoyable Tindersticks theme start. Also, the performances are the incredibly nuanced, which is easier to appreciate after a re-watch. And I always enjoy watching film’s were the protagonists are shitty people. 

And Denis’ casting choices are bang on. Béatrice Dalle, who horror fans will recognize from Inside, and Vincent Gallo are actors who have been plagued with real-life controversies. Even when they are not acting, they both ended up being…well…trouble nearly every day. It is the type of casting that turns the vampire mythos on its head. If real-life vampires were to exist, they are not likely to be a young Tom Cruise or Robert Patterson struggling to fight against their nature. They are going to ooze with the serial killer sensuality of a Vincent Gallo or Béatrice Dalle, and they would stare at you with the intensity of someone looking to devour you. And if you’re into casual sex with dirtbags- I’m talking venereal disease level dirtbags- you just might get lured.

Of course, all this it is perfectly contrasted with Tricia Vessey’s embodiment of angelic naivety. 

Denis’ use of atmosphere in Trouble Every Day has also been a subject of contention. Horror fans often lament because scares and tension take a backseat to cold detachment. True- this whole proceeding is a dreary affair, but it is one drenched in a sense of fatalistic doom. Denis makes clear from the onset that there is no way things will end well for anyone. We are just to sit back and watch the agony to come. 

But there is also an undeniably raw sexual energy that permeates throughout the film too. (Sex. Dirtbags. Doom. Gee, I wonder what Denis is getting at?) 

Then there’s the gore. (Find an uncut version. It should be an hour and forty minutes.) It is as if Denis can’t even do gore right. Some scenes are way too realistic, way too extreme! (On release, this would have been completely appalling to most fans of Denis’ previous films.) It is as if instead of hiring those in the film industry who do this kind of work, Denis consulted surgeons instead. And when juxtaposed with that tone of sexuality and muted tension, the torture comes across as very matter of fact. It is wonderfully off-putting in a way that is unlike anything I have ever seen…and I’ve seen some of the films in the Guinea Pig series.

Though Trouble Every Day was not a critical or financial success, the film gained a bit of a cult following is often reevaluated favourably. People, like myself, praise the film for its unique vision. Is it one of the best horror films ever made? Well, no. But it is one with a real point. By metaphorically associating promiscuity with vampiristic behaviour and existential doom, Denis suggests that those with insatiable sexual appetites are destined to create misery for those they enter relationships with. The film also makes strong statements about gender, showing how each of our cannibals is treated differently.

Trouble Every Day is truly a unique cinematic experience. It is slow, intentionally unpleasant and definitely not for everyone. But those who are interested in adult-themed horror and can appreciate cinema that thinks outside the box should give it a try. Just be prepared when those scenes of gore come. 

Love it or hate it, one thing is true: no one has ever done horror like Claire Denis.