Susan Seidelman's delicious comedy of mistaken identities in the through-the-looking-glass world of downtown Manhatten in the mid-1980s is still an utter joy.
Unfulfilled New Jersey housewife Roberta follows the helter-skelter life of free spirit Susan and her musician boyfriend Jim through the personals ads that they leave for each other.
Unknown to all, Susan is being followed by a murderous criminal who wants the elaborate earrings she stole from a one-night stand; the men stole Nefertiti's ear-rings from a museum and he knows Susan has them.
After Roberta obtains Susan's jacket, the criminal mistakes her for Susan but as Roberta escapes him, she hits her head and wakes up with amnesia.
Dez, Jim's best friend, rescues her and, also thinking she is Susan finds himself drawn to her...
Rosanna Arquette and Madonna are glorious protagonists in this magical alternative update on screwball comedies.
Shelf or charity shop? A keeper as SUSAN is one of my most favourite films ever. Susan Seidelman cast Madonna over actresses like Jennifer Jason Leigh and Melanie Griffith as she was an upcoming name - midway through filming, LIKE A VIRGIN was released and suddenly the focus was totally on Madonna, much to Rosanna Arquette's ire as she had the starring role. Truth be told, the film has space for both of them to shine as they only really meet at the film's climax. When she heard Seidelman needed a music track for the club scene, Madonna gave her a demo she had just finished, INTO THE GROOVE explodes on the film soundtrack and over the end credits too. Seidelman makes Lower Manhattan a Wonderland for Arquette's Roberta to explore and now feels like a lost place in time; she also cast alternative NY actors and performers in cameo roles to give it a real tang: Anne Carlisle, Shirley Stoller, Victor Argo, John Lurie, Ann Magnuson, Steven Wright, Richard Edson, Annie Golden, Richard Hell, Rockets Redglare, Giancarlo Esposito and John Turturro all pop out. She was also blessed with wonderful Aidan Quinn as the lovely Dez, the late Mark Blum as Arquette's dull husband, Robert Joy at his eye-popping best as Jim and the glorious Laurie Metcalf (in only her second film) as Roberta's bitchy sister-in-law.
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