Women in Trouble
Encyclopedia
Women in Trouble is a 2009
American comedy film
, written and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez
, and starring a cast consisting of Carla Gugino
, Adrianne Palicki
, Marley Shelton
, Connie Britton
and Emmanuelle Chriqui
.
Porn star Elektra Luxx (Carla Gugino
) discovers she is pregnant. Leaving her doctor's office, she gets stuck in an elevator with Doris (Connie Britton
), sister to Addy (Caitlin Keats). Addy has recently started taking her daughter, Charlotte, to see her therapist, Maxine (Sarah Clarke
) (While secretly using the visit to sleep with the therapist's husband, upon choosing to follow her therapist's advice to "live with more risk."). Upon finding out about her husband's secret during a therapy session with Charlotte, Maxine rushes out and gets into her car. While backing out, she hits Holly Rocket (Adrianne Palicki
), adult film star. Holly and Bambi (Emmanuelle Chriqui
) were running to safety after a session with one of Bambi's clients is interrupted. Meanwhile, flight attendant Cora (Marley Shelton
) finds herself the object of rock star Nick Chapel's (Josh Brolin
) affection on a flight to his band's upcoming show.
. Production began and ended in Los Angeles
. The film premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest
Film Festival. The film opened in the United States on November 13, 2009. A sequel, Elektra Luxx
, was released on March 11, 2011. Gutierrez returns as the writer-director, and the cast includes Carla Gugino
, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
, Timothy Olyphant
, and Justin Kirk
. Gutierrez is planning on making a third installment, tentatively titled Women in Ecstasy which was initially planned to be released in 2010.
, based on 21 reviews from critics. At Metacritic
reported 43% of the positive reviews based on 9 reviews. John DeFore writing for The Hollywood Reporter
"Gutierrez's script can not supply female characters as believable as Almodovar's, but in the director's chair he gives his cast room to compensate with funny, self-aware performances". Melissa Anderson writing for Village Voice said "blue material mixes awkwardly with sob stories". Manohla Dargis of The New York Times
called the film "The amateurish production values might be pardoned if the clichés - the hard-core porn star with the soft heart, the therapist who needs to heal herself - inside the poorly lighted, badly shot images were not so absurd and often insulting".
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
American comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, written and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez
Sebastian Gutierrez
Sebastián Gutiérrez is an award-winning Venezuelan-American film director, screenwriter, film producer and occasional actor...
, and starring a cast consisting of Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
, Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki is an American actress best known for her role as Tyra Collette on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights.-Early life:...
, Marley Shelton
Marley Shelton
Marley Eve Shelton is an American film and television actress.Shelton began her acting career in her late teens, and appeared in several 1990s' television movies and shows. She made her film debut in the critically acclaimed drama Grand Canyon , and was cast in the films The Sandlot , Nixon , and...
, Connie Britton
Connie Britton
Connie Britton is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Nikki Faber on Spin City and on Friday Night Lights as Tami Taylor. Her most notable films are Friday Night Lights and A Nightmare on Elm Street...
and Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui is a Canadian film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role on HBO's Entourage as Sloan McQuewick, as well as the love interest of Adam Sandler in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan...
.
Plot
The film focuses on six women in Los Angeles as their lives become intertwined in the course of 24 hours.Porn star Elektra Luxx (Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
) discovers she is pregnant. Leaving her doctor's office, she gets stuck in an elevator with Doris (Connie Britton
Connie Britton
Connie Britton is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Nikki Faber on Spin City and on Friday Night Lights as Tami Taylor. Her most notable films are Friday Night Lights and A Nightmare on Elm Street...
), sister to Addy (Caitlin Keats). Addy has recently started taking her daughter, Charlotte, to see her therapist, Maxine (Sarah Clarke
Sarah Clarke
Sarah Clarke is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on 24, and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film Twilight as well as Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV show, Trust Me.-Early life:Clarke was born in St...
) (While secretly using the visit to sleep with the therapist's husband, upon choosing to follow her therapist's advice to "live with more risk."). Upon finding out about her husband's secret during a therapy session with Charlotte, Maxine rushes out and gets into her car. While backing out, she hits Holly Rocket (Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki is an American actress best known for her role as Tyra Collette on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights.-Early life:...
), adult film star. Holly and Bambi (Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Emmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui is a Canadian film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role on HBO's Entourage as Sloan McQuewick, as well as the love interest of Adam Sandler in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan...
) were running to safety after a session with one of Bambi's clients is interrupted. Meanwhile, flight attendant Cora (Marley Shelton
Marley Shelton
Marley Eve Shelton is an American film and television actress.Shelton began her acting career in her late teens, and appeared in several 1990s' television movies and shows. She made her film debut in the critically acclaimed drama Grand Canyon , and was cast in the films The Sandlot , Nixon , and...
) finds herself the object of rock star Nick Chapel's (Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin
Josh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
) affection on a flight to his band's upcoming show.
Cast
- Carla GuginoCarla GuginoCarla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
as Elektra Luxx - Adrianne PalickiAdrianne PalickiAdrianne Palicki is an American actress best known for her role as Tyra Collette on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights.-Early life:...
as Holly Rocket - Connie BrittonConnie BrittonConnie Britton is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Nikki Faber on Spin City and on Friday Night Lights as Tami Taylor. Her most notable films are Friday Night Lights and A Nightmare on Elm Street...
as Doris - Marley SheltonMarley SheltonMarley Eve Shelton is an American film and television actress.Shelton began her acting career in her late teens, and appeared in several 1990s' television movies and shows. She made her film debut in the critically acclaimed drama Grand Canyon , and was cast in the films The Sandlot , Nixon , and...
as Cora - Cameron RichardsonCameron RichardsonCameron Richardson is an American actress and model, who portrayed Chloe Carter on the CBS television series Harper's Island.- Early life :Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Cameron grew up in New Jersey....
as Darby - Garcelle Beauvais-NilonGarcelle BeauvaisGarcelle Beauvais is a Haitian-American actress and former fashion model. She is best known for her roles as hotel employee Francesca "Fancy" Monroe on The WB television sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show which ran from 1996 to 2001, and as Valerie Heywood on the ABC crime drama, NYPD Blue.-Early...
as Maggie - Elizabeth BerkleyElizabeth BerkleyElizabeth Berkley is an American television, film, and theatre actress. Berkley's most notable roles were in the television series Saved by the Bell, as brainy feminist Jessie Spano, and the 1995 Paul Verhoeven film Showgirls, as exotic dancer Nomi Malone.-Early life:Berkley was born and raised...
as Tracy - Emmanuelle ChriquiEmmanuelle ChriquiEmmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui is a Canadian film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role on HBO's Entourage as Sloan McQuewick, as well as the love interest of Adam Sandler in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan...
as Bambi - Sarah ClarkeSarah ClarkeSarah Clarke is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on 24, and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film Twilight as well as Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV show, Trust Me.-Early life:Clarke was born in St...
as Maxine McPherson - Simon BakerSimon BakerSimon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
as Travis McPherson - Joseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
as Bert Rodriguez - Rya KihlstedtRya KihlstedtRya Kihlstedt is an American actress.Kihlstedt was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is a 1991 graduate of Skidmore College in Theatre Arts.She is also of Swedish descent...
as Rita - Caitlin Keats as Addy Hunter
- Isabella Gutierrez as Charlotte
- Paul Cassell as a Jay
Production and sequel
The film was directed by Sebastian GutierrezSebastian Gutierrez
Sebastián Gutiérrez is an award-winning Venezuelan-American film director, screenwriter, film producer and occasional actor...
. Production began and ended in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The film premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Film Festival. The film opened in the United States on November 13, 2009. A sequel, Elektra Luxx
Elektra Luxx
Elektra Luxx is a 2010 comedy film directed and written by Sebastian Gutierrez featuring Carla Gugino. The film is a sequel to the ensemble comedy, Women in Trouble. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival 2010, and was released to the rest of the country on March 11, 2011...
, was released on March 11, 2011. Gutierrez returns as the writer-director, and the cast includes Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
, Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant is an American actor whose notable roles in television drama series include Deadwood as Seth Bullock, Justified as Raylan Givens, The Office as Danny Cordray, and Damages as Wes Krulik...
, and Justin Kirk
Justin Kirk
Justin Kirk is an American stage and film actor. He is known for playing Prior Walter in Mike Nichols's screen adaptation of Angels in America and for his portrayal of Andy Botwin in Showtime's Weeds.-Early life and education:Kirk was born in Salem, Oregon, son of a...
. Gutierrez is planning on making a third installment, tentatively titled Women in Ecstasy which was initially planned to be released in 2010.
Critical reception
Women in Trouble received generally negative to mixed reviews from critics. The film currently has an approval rating of 29% at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 21 reviews from critics. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported 43% of the positive reviews based on 9 reviews. John DeFore writing for The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
"Gutierrez's script can not supply female characters as believable as Almodovar's, but in the director's chair he gives his cast room to compensate with funny, self-aware performances". Melissa Anderson writing for Village Voice said "blue material mixes awkwardly with sob stories". Manohla Dargis of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the film "The amateurish production values might be pardoned if the clichés - the hard-core porn star with the soft heart, the therapist who needs to heal herself - inside the poorly lighted, badly shot images were not so absurd and often insulting".
External links
- Elektra Luxx's blog entry about Women in Trouble, from a promotional blog for Women in Trouble and related films