The forecast is overcast. Director Alan Rudolph sets the tone early on and TROUBLE IN MIND never once strikes a sour note. The cinematography is superb: the camera never stops moving, drifting slowly toward or pulling slowly away from the ex-con, Kristofferson, the country bumpkin-cum-Big City thug, Carradine, his mentor, Morton, the naive engenue, Singer, the survivor, Bujold, or the king of queens, Divine. The story unfolds gradually, logically. The music is appropriately moody. THIS is the way to tell a story. Anyone seriously interested in writing or directing needs to add this one to their list of must-see movies. To miss it would be to miss out.

Life in the dangerous urban cesspool of Rain City: Tough and crusty ex-cop Hawk (an excellent and engaging performance by Kris Kristofferson) gets out of jail after serving time for murder, eager young father Coop (a fine portrayal by Keith Carradine, who sports a wild punk hairdo) neglects his sweet innocent wife Georgia (luminously played with considerable doe-eyed charm by the gorgeous Lori Singer) and falls in with a bad crowd, and ruthless mobster Hilly Blue (deliciously essayed with slimy gusto by Divine, who comes across like an effeminate Sydney Greenstreet) runs the local crime syndicate. Writer/director Alan Rudolph expertly crafts a beautifully bizarre, garish, and stylized reto 40's film noir alternate universe that's punctuated with witty dialogue, populated by colorful oddball characters, and further enlivened by nice moments of inspired quirky humor. Moreover, Rudolph offers a truly singular cinematic meditation on morals, corruption, thwarted desires, and possible redemption. The tip-top cast helps a whole lot, with especially praiseworthy work from Genevieve Bujold as wise and weary diner owner Wanda, Joe Morton as philosophical hoodlum Solo, George Kirby as the hard-nosed Lieutenant Gunther, John Considine as sleazy creep pedophile Nate Nathanson, and Dirk Blocker as brutish thug Rambo. Mark Isham's jazzy score and a couple of songs sung by Marianne Faithful greatly enhance the eccentric brooding atmosphere. Toyomichi Kurita's striking cinematography gives the picture a great gaudy'n'smoky look. Hovering precariously between affectionate homage and campy send-up, this exquisitely idiosyncratic treat qualifies as recommended viewing for fans of outré celluloid fare that doesn't fit into a simple easy category.

Completely Nutzoid and Bizarre Take on Film-Noir from Fringe Director and Robert Altman Protogei Alan Rudolph.

Brimming with Characters who have One-Foot in Reality and Another in Who-Knows-Where?

The Well-Rounded Cast All Fit Into Their Square Holes.

Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine, Lori Singer, Genevieve Bujold, Joe Morton, and Divine.

Their "Straight" Personas are Twisted Slightly to Accommodate the Strangeness that is "Trouble in Mind".

Even the Background Warbling of Marianne Faithful, while Moody and Raw, Seem to be Slightly Off-Speed.

It's a Crime-Drama-Romance-Fantasy that can Captivate and Leave the Viewer in Awe, Responding to What's On-Screen.

A Place that Exists, one could say, in "The Twilight Zone".

Different, Beautiful, Decadent, Displays of Young-Love, Low-IQ Folks Lost in the City.

With Guide-Posts in the Form of an Ex-Con-Ex-Cop and a Diner Owner that has "Been Everywhere".

A Crime Syndicate from La-La Land Coming Down on Everyone Like its the "End Times" and Satan is Making His Move.

One of the Oddest and Best Neo-Noirs Your Likely to Come Across.

This has Got it All.

To See if it's Too Strange for You...

Worth a Watch.