Why a high-profile romantic comedy became a notorious disaster for its two leads

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 1994 film I Love Trouble promised a breezy, star-studded romantic comedy but delivered a critical and commercial misfire. Behind the scenes, the production was marred by intense personal animosity between Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte, who famously clashed throughout filming, turning their onscreen chemistry into a palpable, off-screen disaster.

Released in June 1994, I Love Trouble was intended to be a lighthearted thriller-romance in the vein of classic screwball comedies. Written and produced by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, the film followed two rival reporters, played by Roberts and Nolte, who compete over a story involving a corrupt dairy company. Despite the pedigree of its stars and creators, the film struggled to balance its suspenseful plot with its comedic aspirations, ultimately failing to capture the charm of the genre it sought to emulate.

The production was plagued by a toxic working environment. Roberts and Nolte reportedly despised one another, with Roberts later labeling Nolte the worst actor she had ever worked with and describing him as disgusting. Nolte, who felt he had compromised his integrity for a paycheck, reciprocated the hostility, calling Roberts an unpleasant person. This friction reportedly bled into their performances, leaving critics to remark on the lack of synergy between the two leads. The film earned less than $62 million globally, a disappointing figure that reflected its poor reception.

Technical issues further complicated the film's troubled history. Composer Elmer Bernstein was originally hired to score the movie, but his music was discarded late in the process. David Newman was brought in as a last-minute replacement, forced to assemble a large team of orchestrators to complete the work in just two weeks. The resulting film was widely panned, with a 22% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics like Roger Ebert noted the difficulty of maintaining a romantic tone when the plot revolved around death threats and corporate murder, while others lamented that the film was simply a flaccid, unconvincing effort.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Why a romantic comedy with negative reviews became a massive global box office success
• Why did a star-studded 1992 comedy become a notorious Hollywood box-office disaster?
• How a waitress’s screenplay became a surprise 1984 blockbuster that saved a director’s career
• Why did a star-studded romantic comedy become a critical disaster despite its box office?
• Why a star-studded comedy featuring Robin Williams and Billy Crystal became a box-office bomb
• Why a forgotten script about male friendship became a modern bromantic comedy classic
• Is it more insane to fear nuclear annihilation or to ignore the threat entirely?
• A husband survived five murder attempts by his wife, then bailed her out of jail.
• A romantic comedy born from a wartime shortage of Technicolor film stock
• How a 1979 Italian comedy turned safari guides into unlikely animal rights crusaders
• Why a 1965 Italian comedy-drama remains a vital piece of national collective memory
• How do you film the life of a man who refuses to be found?

More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics