Man Trouble

A 1992 American romantic black comedy directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Carole Eastman, the film follows Harry Bliss (Jack Nicholson), the owner of a guard dog service whose life becomes entangled in a series of unforeseen events. Harry, undergoing a divorce and attending marriage counseling with his wife Adele (Lauren Tom), meets Joan Spruance (Ellen Barkin), an opera singer whose apartment has been burglarized and who is receiving threatening calls from an unknown stalker. Joan moves into her sister Andy Ellerman's (Beverly D'Angelo) house in the Hollywood Hills but feels unsafe due to Andy's intrusive ex-lovers. She hires Harry for protection, and a romantic relationship develops between them. Complications arise when Harry is drawn into a scheme involving the theft of a tell-all manuscript written by Andy about her ex-husband, powerful businessman Redmond Layls (Harry Dean Stanton). Harry is blackmailed by Layls' attorney, Laurence Moncrief (Saul Rubinek), to steal the manuscript. As events unfold, Joan faces an attack, and Harry strives to navigate the chaos while addressing his personal issues. The film blends elements of romance, comedy, and thriller, exploring themes of trust, betrayal, and personal accountability.