Reviews (8)

Note the Carly Pope Performance
Not very original, but quite effective, "A Cooler Climate" provides a good role for Sally Fields. A downtrodden divorcee, her character strives to rebuild her life while working as a domestic for a disfunctional family, eventually having a positive influence on two of them. The family's rebellious daughter is played by Carly Pope, who later made her name as Sam Mcpherson in the tv show "Popular". Carly does an impressive job with her complex part, deftly portraying a mix of careless irresponsibility, petulent bad temper, disfunctional rebelliousness, a sense of fun, good natured friendliness and aching vulnerability. It's only a supporting role, but she definitely adds to the movie. Since Popular she's done a variety of movies, including "The Glass House", "Orange County", "Paper, Scissors, Stone" (2003, lead role) and "Various Positions".

1 of Sally Fields Finest
this is a great movie about a down on her luck woman..on the skits with her daughter..who moves in with a Do nothing rich woman who has nothing to do except nag her..This family is in total termoil..the father hates the mother and the daughter is out of control, cause no one pays attention to her...It's hard but Sally helps the mother and daughter back to each other and some peace of mind for herself..

Different, but deeper.
I give this five stars, not for it being an incredible film, but for it being a film which entails so much more than most films made today. I keep hearing people mention that it's the kind of movie made for older women. My response is...whatever. As a twenty yr old who watched this film with a male friend who makes hip hop music, I can say it's a film for everyone alike. We both felt the characters had so much depth and all were highly interesting as people. It's enjoyable and it moves at a nice brisk pace and regardless of some people say, it's a person movie, not a female movie. You don't have to wait for girl's night out, you can watch it with anyone who likes good character development and an interesting look at life from a new angle. Judy Davis is excellent. The movie only suffers from the fact that time is taken up with an unnecessary love interst for Sally Field...and wastes the time they could have used giving us a more solid understanding of the final relationship Field's character and Davis' character have developed. Ah...what they do for poignancy.

A Cooler Climate
I just saw this movie on [TV], and though I had not seen a Judy Davis movie that I didn't like prior to this, the ending was way too hokey and contrived for my taste. Davis had some terrific moments evoking a shallow, lonely and enraged soul, but her transformation from deep depression to loving sensitive light hearted soul in the course of a day, went beyond my ability to suspend my disbelief. Field who is another great actress whose character here is the flying nun grown older. I guess I'm one of those males who just doesn't get it, but because I do like these two actresses, I was driven to see other reactions to this film.

Beautiful character study, lackluster script
Iris (Sally Field) is an intelligent, middle-aged woman whose life has gone hopelessly awry after leaving her husband for a younger man. In desperation, she accepts a job in a resort town as housekeeper to Paula (Judy Davis), a strident, unhappy socialite whose own emotional life is equally fragile in spite of the superficial trappings of success. Despite their incompatibility, the two women slowly learn to co-exist and, as Paula's life also begins to unravel, eventually even come to respect and care about each other.

This made-for cable drama, which debuted on Showtime, feels (as one other reviewer here noted) more as if it belonged on Lifetime. Earnest to a fault, the script is hopelessly contrived and there isn't a plot twist that you won't see coming a mile away. In addition, the assortment of odd-but-lovable townspeople contains just about every stereotype you can think of. Nevertheless, this rates as a must-see for fans of its stars. Both Field and Davis are extraordinaly good in tailor-made roles.

Also, cliches notwithstanding, the film is at its best in some terrific quiet moments. Iris sits at a table with her daunting stack of bills spread out in front of her, trying valiantly to decide to whom she can afford to give twenty of her hard-earned dollars. Paula recoils after Iris first stands up to her, realizing that she may not have the upper hand in the relationship that she thinks she has. In a hotel room, Paula and her husband, Leo, discuss their troublesome 19-year old daughter and we get a glimpse of the sadness and emptiness of Paula's life. Unfortuantely, all these (and more) moments are done in by a script that ties up every conceivable loose end in the last fifteen minutes. In short, this is a film whose sum of its parts is much greater than the whole.

Still, it's worth a look. In addition to the performances, it is a rare film that even tries to explore a complex relationship between two radically different and difficult women. ... Read more

Description

Comedy about a young, lively Italian-American woman and her ex-convict father who sting the Mafia and the law. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

good fun
This movie is good fun. The actors are great: Emily Lloyd, Peter Falk and Adrian Pasdar. It's Peter Falk's typical role and if you like him in it, you'll like him here. Emily should have had more movies because she is great - and finally Adrian Pasdar gets a real chance in a movie. Good entertainment.

cute versin of the mafia
A great sunday afternoon fun story.

Cute story about daughter-father relationship
This is a really cute story about the relationship between a father (Peter Falk) who is a mobster just released from prison who meets his daughter for the first time. It's a comedy with some foreseeable events but it's the performances that are fun to watch. Falk is terrific. Weist is lovingly hilarious as the "oversexed" mistress and mother of the daughter. Brenda Vacarro is wonderfully funny in a campy role as the wife. But Adrian Pasdar as the daughter's love interest and "young sidekick, mobster wannabe" is usually the perfect foil for the rest of the other outrageous, campy roles. Pasdar charmingly steals the scenes. Even though he is often the "straight man" in this comedy, he manages to play the comedic parts very well and is as funny as the more seasoned actors. Though dated (the daughter is a "Madonna wannabe") it is a truly fun ride. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Not just a Madonna Movie!
This movie epitomizes the giddiness of the New Wave-bohemian lifestyle of the 80's. I watched this movie as a teenager and was fascinated by the outlandish people and the New York City setting. Today I watch it and am struck by the ultimate sweetness of the characters, particularly Roberta (Rosanna Arquette-this really is her movie) and Dez (Aidan Quinn). I think it is an excellent example of screwball, romantic comedy. It's the kind of movie I can watch again and again and it always seems fresh. The supporting actors are great, including Laurie Metcalf as Roberta's uptight sister-in-law and John Turturro as a sleazy night club host. The acting is understated and not over the top- including Madonna, who just seemed to be reading her lines very carefully, but to good effect. Susan Seidelman did an excellent job at directing, too bad she has not done much more! The settings are used to great effect as well, giving you a taste of the intruiging East Village and it's suburban opposite Fort Lee, NJ. If you enjoy this movie I would highly recommend "After Hours" and "Something Wild" which are in the same NYC 80's bohemian kind of vein, although a little darker in tone.

New Wave Meets Suburbia
An entertaining tale of a bored housewife in Fort Lee, New Jersey who accidentially gets mixed up in the life of a street smart drifter was one of the biggest hits in the 1980's. Not only a hit, this film marked the major film debut of a then rising star named Madonna, and made here a household name throughout the world.

The movie which takes place in New York City circa 1985 revolves around Roberta (Arquette), a disenchanted housewife who is married to the hot tub king of New Jersey. Due to the great amount of free time in her life, Roberta reads the classifieds to follow the movements of Susan (Madonna) who happens to be in the city awaiting the arrival of her boyfriend and his band.

The movie which revolves around a theme of amnesia and a museum heist was an excellent starring for Madonna. Although the film was originally a starring vehicle for Arquette and Aidan Quinn, it was Madonna who stoled the film from the very start. Madonna-mania was sweeping the country at the time, and almost every teenage girl wanted to look and act like her.

Madonna ,who won the role after using smart marketing methods (the producers wanted to cast Ellen Barkin in the role), gave the film many wonderful touches due to her punk look (dirty blond hair, plastic bracelets, lace gloves) and gave me many memories of growing up in New York during the mid-1980's. To further compliment the film, Madonna's hit single at the time "Into the Groove," became the film's anthem, and even today, the song still sounds as good as it did then.

Director Susan Siedelman ("She Devil"; "Cookie"; "Sex & the City") does an excellent job of weaving both script and characters together. Overall this film will appeal to anyone who lived in the Metro New York area during the 1980's, as well as anyone who enjoys the New Wave style of that decade.

The DVD features are great and I was happy to see the original ending that was cut out of the film. It was great to see this, and only the great technology of DVD gives consumers many benefits that VHS doesn't. It was great to see the film's theatrical trailer as well, because trailers then look so poorly produced in comparison to the ones today.

If you are looking for a modern day classic, then this is the film for you. A true classic in '80's cinema.

GREAT MOVIE !!!!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE. THIS IS MY FAVORITE MADONNA MOVIE SHE CO-STARS W/ ROSANNA ARQUETTE . I REALLY DID LIKE THIS MOVIE. THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A MIX UP WHERE ROSANNA ARQUETTE FOLLOWS THIS PERSONAL AD:"DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN"(MADONNA) AND ABOUT A GUY NAMED JIM. (ROBERTA) ROSANNA ARQUETTE THINKS HER NAME IS SUSAN AND IT IS JUST A GREAT BIG MIX-UP BUT AT THE END THINGS FALL INTO PLACE BUT SOME CHANGES ARE MADE BUT THE MOVIE IS GREAT I LOVED IT AND I RECOMMEND ANY MADONNA FAN SHOULD HAVE THIS VIDEO IN THEIR COLLECTION.

Wacky Fun!
We rented Desperately Seeking Susan and I thought it was a cute wacky movie that was a lot of fun to watch and has a great cast that includes Maddona, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Laurie Metcalf. Rosanna Arquette plays a bored New Jersey housewife named Roberta who is interested in the personals ads she reads between a free-spirited woman from New York named Susan and a guy named Jim so when Roberta goes to New York to meet Susan she winds up getting hit on the head and she wakes up thinking she is actually Susan and gets herself into a lot of wacky situations. It's a fun movie and has great scenes of New York and I recommend it.

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Here it is ladies and gentleman, fellow Madonna fans: Madonna's first starring role in a feature film. Desperately Seeking Susan is loaded with fun and games and has become a favorite with most Madonna fans.

Roseanna Arquette plays Roberta Glass, a bored New Jersey housewife, who constantly follows the on-going relationship of Jim and Susan. One day, Roberta decides that she would really like to meet Susan, so she places an add in the paper, telling Susan to meet Roberta at Battery Park in New York City. Susan (played by Madonna) shows up, but is arrested because of cab fair. Roberta is being harrassed by some lunatic. After a bump on the head and a bout of amnesia, turns Roberta into Susan. Susan's boyfriend Jim (played by Robert Joy) askes his best friend Dez (played by Aiden Quinn) finds Roberta, but thinks she is Susan. The two become lovers.

A movie that is considered to be an instant classic and features the hit single, INTO THE GROOVE, performed by Madonna. It's a film that should not be missed. A life so complicated, it takes two women to live it. ... Read more

Description

Each episode of Sex & the City deal with the romantic challenges that single women face when they start seeing the big three oh in the rear view mirror & start finding new suitable mates. These challenges are revealed through the eyes of several friends, each of whom has their own ideas on how to catch Mr. Right. There's Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), who pushed the envelope of dating & sex in the name of journalism; Samantha (Kim Catrall), a PR Executive who has seen (& done) it all; Charlotte (Kristin Davis), an art deal who believes love conquers all, despite a tottering marriage; & Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), a lawyer now contemplating motherhood. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sex and the City: The Complete Fifth Season
I am always impressed with the ladies and their adventures. I live viCARIously (pun intended) through them. I also GET the messages of each show, which in turn, helps me when I'm weeding out and saving me from a fate with the monkey-men I have had the misfortune of dining out with and/or starting a relationship with.

I found fault with Carrie's breakup with Aidan. I thought the script was mean and portrayed Carrie as a brat and Aidan a victim. I think it could have ended better. It colored my view of her for a while, but I got over it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

New York director Susan Seidelman, who made the delicious Desperately Seeking Susan, ran into a critical buzz saw with this follow-up film, which is actually a smart and cleverly acted little comedy about the battle of the sexes. Performance artist Ann Magnuson plays a commercial whiz who is hired to market a new, almost human android to the buying public. The scientist who created him (John Malkovich) is an antisocial nerd, but the robot (also Malkovich) is exactly what any woman would want: sensitive, caring, eager to please, and willing to listen. This leads Magnuson, who is repelled by the creator, to fall for the creation--but what do you do when you fall in love with a man-made man? Malkovich is delightfully loopy, while Magnuson brings snap and vigor to this role. Definitely better than its reputation. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great under-rated FLICK!
This is a GREAT UNDER-RATED little 80's flick that I think more peolpe would enjoy if they just gave it a chance! All of the characters are so great and funny! I've never heard of Ann Magnusen but let me just say that she's great! So is John Malkovich! He plays 2 completely different charcters and does it very well! So just give this movie a chance! If I liked it, I'm sure you would too!

An 80's comic masterpiece!
This movie is absolutely hilarious, with moments that make you laugh out loud. I saw this movie when I was younger and I loved it. It's the type of movie, that after you're done watching it, just makes you feel good. Ann Magnuson is spectcular, her character is trendy, sexy and witty. John Malkovitch shines in this movie. It's one of the few performances of his that I do enjoy. Laurie Metcalf is dynomite! A VERY under-rated actress, Laurie is an incredibly funny woman and a true master of her craft. She steals the movie in her portayal of Sandra. "I told you to call me Sandy!!!!!!"

Dumb
Overall, I did not care for this movie.

There are some very good things about it though. The music is great and there are some very funny scenes in it. John Malkovich does an excellent job with the two different personalities - the android and the doctor.

The acting of the other actors is very poor though and overall the movie was corny and pretty dumb.

A grate movie
I loved this movie it was funny and interging. I love this movie. and I say this is a must see.

What a sweet, little, feel-good piece of comedy!
This is a really great movie, worth seeing if only to witness John Malkovich playing against type. In the dual role of both the creator and creation, Malkovich is careful to keep their personalities entirely separate. Whilst Dr Peters is arrogant and dispassionate, Ulysses is gentle and sensitive. I love the way the android grows during the course of the movie, from child-like innocence to loving tenderness. The movie keeps you guessing to a certain extent as to who Ann Magnuson's character will end up with, but it is great how it all comes to a head in that magical scene, when the two of them kiss for the first time. It is deeply moving and gently humourous, with neither outweighing the other. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Not just a Madonna Movie!
This movie epitomizes the giddiness of the New Wave-bohemian lifestyle of the 80's. I watched this movie as a teenager and was fascinated by the outlandish people and the New York City setting. Today I watch it and am struck by the ultimate sweetness of the characters, particularly Roberta (Rosanna Arquette-this really is her movie) and Dez (Aidan Quinn). I think it is an excellent example of screwball, romantic comedy. It's the kind of movie I can watch again and again and it always seems fresh. The supporting actors are great, including Laurie Metcalf as Roberta's uptight sister-in-law and John Turturro as a sleazy night club host. The acting is understated and not over the top- including Madonna, who just seemed to be reading her lines very carefully, but to good effect. Susan Seidelman did an excellent job at directing, too bad she has not done much more! The settings are used to great effect as well, giving you a taste of the intruiging East Village and it's suburban opposite Fort Lee, NJ. If you enjoy this movie I would highly recommend "After Hours" and "Something Wild" which are in the same NYC 80's bohemian kind of vein, although a little darker in tone.

New Wave Meets Suburbia
An entertaining tale of a bored housewife in Fort Lee, New Jersey who accidentially gets mixed up in the life of a street smart drifter was one of the biggest hits in the 1980's. Not only a hit, this film marked the major film debut of a then rising star named Madonna, and made here a household name throughout the world.

The movie which takes place in New York City circa 1985 revolves around Roberta (Arquette), a disenchanted housewife who is married to the hot tub king of New Jersey. Due to the great amount of free time in her life, Roberta reads the classifieds to follow the movements of Susan (Madonna) who happens to be in the city awaiting the arrival of her boyfriend and his band.

The movie which revolves around a theme of amnesia and a museum heist was an excellent starring for Madonna. Although the film was originally a starring vehicle for Arquette and Aidan Quinn, it was Madonna who stoled the film from the very start. Madonna-mania was sweeping the country at the time, and almost every teenage girl wanted to look and act like her.

Madonna ,who won the role after using smart marketing methods (the producers wanted to cast Ellen Barkin in the role), gave the film many wonderful touches due to her punk look (dirty blond hair, plastic bracelets, lace gloves) and gave me many memories of growing up in New York during the mid-1980's. To further compliment the film, Madonna's hit single at the time "Into the Groove," became the film's anthem, and even today, the song still sounds as good as it did then.

Director Susan Siedelman ("She Devil"; "Cookie"; "Sex & the City") does an excellent job of weaving both script and characters together. Overall this film will appeal to anyone who lived in the Metro New York area during the 1980's, as well as anyone who enjoys the New Wave style of that decade.

The DVD features are great and I was happy to see the original ending that was cut out of the film. It was great to see this, and only the great technology of DVD gives consumers many benefits that VHS doesn't. It was great to see the film's theatrical trailer as well, because trailers then look so poorly produced in comparison to the ones today.

If you are looking for a modern day classic, then this is the film for you. A true classic in '80's cinema.

GREAT MOVIE !!!!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE. THIS IS MY FAVORITE MADONNA MOVIE SHE CO-STARS W/ ROSANNA ARQUETTE . I REALLY DID LIKE THIS MOVIE. THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A MIX UP WHERE ROSANNA ARQUETTE FOLLOWS THIS PERSONAL AD:"DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN"(MADONNA) AND ABOUT A GUY NAMED JIM. (ROBERTA) ROSANNA ARQUETTE THINKS HER NAME IS SUSAN AND IT IS JUST A GREAT BIG MIX-UP BUT AT THE END THINGS FALL INTO PLACE BUT SOME CHANGES ARE MADE BUT THE MOVIE IS GREAT I LOVED IT AND I RECOMMEND ANY MADONNA FAN SHOULD HAVE THIS VIDEO IN THEIR COLLECTION.

Wacky Fun!
We rented Desperately Seeking Susan and I thought it was a cute wacky movie that was a lot of fun to watch and has a great cast that includes Maddona, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Laurie Metcalf. Rosanna Arquette plays a bored New Jersey housewife named Roberta who is interested in the personals ads she reads between a free-spirited woman from New York named Susan and a guy named Jim so when Roberta goes to New York to meet Susan she winds up getting hit on the head and she wakes up thinking she is actually Susan and gets herself into a lot of wacky situations. It's a fun movie and has great scenes of New York and I recommend it.

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Here it is ladies and gentleman, fellow Madonna fans: Madonna's first starring role in a feature film. Desperately Seeking Susan is loaded with fun and games and has become a favorite with most Madonna fans.

Roseanna Arquette plays Roberta Glass, a bored New Jersey housewife, who constantly follows the on-going relationship of Jim and Susan. One day, Roberta decides that she would really like to meet Susan, so she places an add in the paper, telling Susan to meet Roberta at Battery Park in New York City. Susan (played by Madonna) shows up, but is arrested because of cab fair. Roberta is being harrassed by some lunatic. After a bump on the head and a bout of amnesia, turns Roberta into Susan. Susan's boyfriend Jim (played by Robert Joy) askes his best friend Dez (played by Aiden Quinn) finds Roberta, but thinks she is Susan. The two become lovers.

A movie that is considered to be an instant classic and features the hit single, INTO THE GROOVE, performed by Madonna. It's a film that should not be missed. A life so complicated, it takes two women to live it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great under-rated FLICK!
This is a GREAT UNDER-RATED little 80's flick that I think more peolpe would enjoy if they just gave it a chance! All of the characters are so great and funny! I've never heard of Ann Magnusen but let me just say that she's great! So is John Malkovich! He plays 2 completely different charcters and does it very well! So just give this movie a chance! If I liked it, I'm sure you would too!

An 80's comic masterpiece!
This movie is absolutely hilarious, with moments that make you laugh out loud. I saw this movie when I was younger and I loved it. It's the type of movie, that after you're done watching it, just makes you feel good. Ann Magnuson is spectcular, her character is trendy, sexy and witty. John Malkovitch shines in this movie. It's one of the few performances of his that I do enjoy. Laurie Metcalf is dynomite! A VERY under-rated actress, Laurie is an incredibly funny woman and a true master of her craft. She steals the movie in her portayal of Sandra. "I told you to call me Sandy!!!!!!"

Dumb
Overall, I did not care for this movie.

There are some very good things about it though. The music is great and there are some very funny scenes in it. John Malkovich does an excellent job with the two different personalities - the android and the doctor.

The acting of the other actors is very poor though and overall the movie was corny and pretty dumb.

A grate movie
I loved this movie it was funny and interging. I love this movie. and I say this is a must see.

What a sweet, little, feel-good piece of comedy!
This is a really great movie, worth seeing if only to witness John Malkovich playing against type. In the dual role of both the creator and creation, Malkovich is careful to keep their personalities entirely separate. Whilst Dr Peters is arrogant and dispassionate, Ulysses is gentle and sensitive. I love the way the android grows during the course of the movie, from child-like innocence to loving tenderness. The movie keeps you guessing to a certain extent as to who Ann Magnuson's character will end up with, but it is great how it all comes to a head in that magical scene, when the two of them kiss for the first time. It is deeply moving and gently humourous, with neither outweighing the other. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Masterful Dark Comedy Starring The Great Roseanne Barr
She-Devil is among the few dark comedies that gained popularity in the late 80's early 90's period. It has been closely associated with such classics as Zemeckis' Death Becomes Her and War Of The Roses starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny Devito). She Devil is based on a novel by the same name. Roseanne Barr stars as the irrepressible Ruth Patchett, Ed Begley Jr as her cheating husband and a delightful Meryl Streep as his mistress romance novelist Mary Fisher. The captivating premise revolves around Ruth's plot to exact revenge on her unfaithful husband. We are generally sympathetic with her (or at least I was when I saw the film) because she truly does not deserve such a fallible and inconsiderate husband especially after being good to him and raising his children. Roseanne steals the show as she takes revenge step by step straight out of her list of wicked deeds. The script and dialogue is witty and packed with humor. Memorable characters further enhance this black comedy, characters such as Mary Fisher's elderly mother who dislikes her daughter for selfishly shutting her out of her life and putting her in the care of an old folks home to which she later avenges by blabbing to a sleazy tabloid that Mary Fisher was a promiscious woman. Ed Begley Jr. is quite good as the cheating husband who later tires of living with his mistress/mother to his kids replacement Mary Fisher and takes on a new mistress his own office secretary. He is involved in fraudulent scams and eventually Ruth makes it possible for him to be imprisoned. He does seem to have learned his lesson by the end of the film. You will like this enjoyable comedy with suspenseful and dark sounding music (there is even a section whose notes resemble the Night On Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky and the concluding Elvis song Devil in Disguise with the thematic lines that best describe Ruth....''She walks like an angel, she talks like an angel..but she's the Devil in disguise". Also noteworthy is the strong message at the end which seems to be about empowerment of women..closing scene has Roseanne walking down a street with a tremendous crowd of women.. no doubt women who have taken upon themselves to take charge of their lives and refused to be victimized (by cheating husbands, failed marriages, abuse, what have u. This is a great film and among my favorites.

Not brilliant, but entertaining
This movie is a comedy, and a comedy should make you laugh. This movie makes me laugh. Made in 1989, not long after Roseanne's excellent sitcom had begun its run, Roseanne had perhaps not come into her own as an actress. However, she is still well cast as a frumpy housewife named Ruth whose tacky accountant husband Bob leaves her for a spoiled romance novelist named Mary Fischer. As a revenge fantasy, there is some satisfaction in seeing Ruth systematically destroy her husband's life. And there are some extremely funny supporting characters, particularly Mary Fischer's maniacally uncouth mother and Bob and Ruth's bratty, manic children, who all contribute to Bob's undoing. But the best moments of the film belong to Meryl Streep. Normally known for her dramatic work, Streep is absolutely hysterical at playing a self-absorbed, tantrum-throwing, pretentious, ... wanna-be diva. "She-devil" is definitely worth seeing for a few laughs.

Love the movie, Can't stand Roseanne!
I have always loved this movie for it's blatant campiness and Meryl Streep! She is what makes this film. Ed Begley Jr. though good at his role is so incredibly unappealing that it makes it totally hard to believe that anyone besides someone who looks like Roseanne's character could possibly fall for him. He is about as horrid looking as it gets and to snag the leadinng male role must had meant he either had friends in high places or no one else wanted the role. Havne't a clue how they got Meryl to do this, but thank god she did! Roseanne is supposed to be the victim and we're supposed to feel for her, but she's so horrid that no one really cares what happens to her. Besides the extremely poor casting of the wife and husband this is really a funny film and its all due to Meryl's character.

Uneven Comedy but it`s funny just the same.
An Unliberated Housewife (Roseanne Barr) discovers that her smileball husband (Ed Begley Jr.) cheats on his wife for a famous, glamourous self-absorbed romanic novelist (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Meryl Streep). The Housewife prepares a plan to destory her unfaithful husband`s life to leave him with their two Children (Elizabeth Peters & Bryan Larkin) to created one life for herself for the first time in her life.

Directed by Susan Seidelman (Cookie, Desperately Seeking Susan, Marking Mr. Right) made a entertaining odd-ball dark comedy with a talented cast. Streep is a Hoot in her comedic role (Which later she did another Comedic Hoot Performance in Death Becomes Her). Oscar-Winner:Linda Hunt appears in a Supporting Role as Barr`s friend. Sylvia Miles plays Streep`s crude mother in the film. Although it`s Predictable & The Pace is quite plodding but it`s a surprisingly amusing flick. Based on Fay Weldon`s novel-The Life & Loves of a She Devil. Grade:B+.

For those in search of laugh-out-loud fun, this is the one!
Not every movie has to take itself seriously to be highly entertaining--and this is one at the top of that category. I dare anyone to watch it and not find plenty of amusing scenes to laugh out loud over.

As expected from an actress of her talent, Meryl Streep is wonderful in her role as "Mary Fisher," queen of the romance novel writing genre. Opposite her, Roseanne Barr does a great job in her staring role as the clutzy, unappreciated wife, Ruth, who loses her husband to Ms. Fisher's charms, yet manages to get the last laugh by movie's end. Indeed, all the players in this hilarious tale add their part to make this one of my favorite comedies ever. I've watched it more than a few times, and can't help but howl with laughter.

My favorite cast member is A Martinez, who turns a splendid comic turn as the butler, Garcia. In one scene, he buzzes up in a golf cart to deliver bottles of Yoohoo on a silver tray at tea time, thoroughly embarassing Meryl Streep's haughty character right during an interview for a magazine. With every nuance, pose, and facial expression he injects something special and really makes the most of his role. Truly, every scene in which he appears is purely delightful.

If you find yourself in need of laughter on an otherwise ho hum day, watch this movie! I highly recommend it!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pain, longing, romance and dirt: Ah! exquisite nostalgia!
Besides capturing the gritty reality of New York City and eighties punk nihilism (unlike Times Square, which makes NYC seem like the innocuous Disneyland it now sadly is), Smithereens captures both the intimacy and estrangement of the punk experience to the jangling beat of such notables as the Feelies, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and Television. Susan Berman delivers a stellar performance as a vulnerable, [angry], terminal misfit/victim/enfant terrible ambiguously coveting celebrity status and the affections of Richard Hell, who also shines as a punk icon and sexy-but-worthless cad. Fun, edgy and disturbing, with a harrowing conclusion and a heartfelt sympathy for its desperate characters. Includes Kitty, my fave cameo, as a sultry, manic-depressive downtown Bardot. If you weren't there, this film will make you feel like you were.

Low Budget Masterpiece
This film is a classic! It has a raw street like feel to it, and a sense of urgency and desperation that runs rampant throughout the film. Susan Berman plays a pathetic groupie-type set out to become famous. She will step on anyone's toes and stab anyone's back and burn all her bridges along the way in order to achieve this goal. She meets a boy along the way willing to help her and love her and shelter her even though he hasn't got a pot to pee in himself. But she is hell bent on getting her way and in turn becomes a mean, self absorbed street weasel. She pushes away the people who love her most and ends up walking down that dreadful path of self destruction. Amazing to watch the transformation nonetheless, all set to early-eighties street rhythms and a pinch of the punk scene thrown in for good measure. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wet RULES!!
The movie was pretty much a dud until the final one "Wet". WOW!
They saved the best short film for last! Cynda is incredibly gorgeous and the camera didn't miss her beautiful body. It was tastefully done and it didn't go overboard with exploitation. The eye popping "money shot" is when she stood up in the tub with suds running down her backside, WOW!!
That shot alone gives this movie 5 stars from me. This review refers to the DVD version

Tales of Silliness
The Video "Tales of Erotica" which has 4 short movies is basically Tales of "Silliness" since none of the stories are based on erotic reality. My favorite was the final story, "Wet" which featured the beautiful Cynda Williams. The only erotic and exciting thing about this video is it's 4th story "Wet" and the nude shot of Cynda William's perfectly shaped buttocks as she rises from the hot tub dripping "wet" from the bubbly water......she is definitley worth looking at.

Not a review for the Leonard Maltin film mentioned above
The Erotic Tales video I'm reviewing has Mira Sorvino on the cover as pictured, and is 4 short stories. The Mira Sorvino one is so forgettable that I can't think of a thing to say, only that Mira doesn't get particularily erotic or nude. The Melvin Van Peebles episode was laughable, repeditive, and again not erotic.....no, only the Ken Russell episode made this worthwhile. Not erotic "spank" material to be sure, but it kept me interested, and I found it intriguing, erotic to a degree, and I was dissappointed when that segment finished.

AWFUL Movie
I like erotic movies but this one was just awful. I REALLY disliked it. The plot and the acting was not done well at all. Save your money and your time.

SWESS
SSWSATE ... Read more

Amazon.com

This likeable, feminist screwball comedy about several incidents of mistaken identity is remembered more as the film that made Madonna a movie star. She's flip, hip, and energetic as Susan, the wild tramp with whom bored, suburban New Jersey housewife Roberta Glass (Rosanna Arquette) becomes obsessed after reading of her sexual conquests in the personal ads. Of course, since Madonna essentially played herself, the role's hardly a stretch. Director Susan Seidelmen presents a series of zany incidents too complicated to recount, but the result is that Roberta swaps lifestyles with her fixation to explore New Wave culture on New York's Lower East Side. It's territory Seidelmen knew well as her more offbeat, indie debut, Smithereens, reveled in the same setting. But where Smithereens took a more edgy approach to its characters, Susan is a fairy tale romantic comedy, and eventually becomes as conventional as the suburban characters it mocks by settling conflicts with predictable Hollywood formulae. Still, there's much to be enjoyed. The film's at its funniest when juxtaposing New York hip and New Jersey suburbia, like when Arquette's straight, suit-and-tie husband dances with Madonna in a punk club. The performances, too, are engaging, especially Arquette and Aidan Quinn, playing a romantic film projectionist who becomes her grubby Prince Charming. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Not just a Madonna Movie!
This movie epitomizes the giddiness of the New Wave-bohemian lifestyle of the 80's. I watched this movie as a teenager and was fascinated by the outlandish people and the New York City setting. Today I watch it and am struck by the ultimate sweetness of the characters, particularly Roberta (Rosanna Arquette-this really is her movie) and Dez (Aidan Quinn). I think it is an excellent example of screwball, romantic comedy. It's the kind of movie I can watch again and again and it always seems fresh. The supporting actors are great, including Laurie Metcalf as Roberta's uptight sister-in-law and John Turturro as a sleazy night club host. The acting is understated and not over the top- including Madonna, who just seemed to be reading her lines very carefully, but to good effect. Susan Seidelman did an excellent job at directing, too bad she has not done much more! The settings are used to great effect as well, giving you a taste of the intruiging East Village and it's suburban opposite Fort Lee, NJ. If you enjoy this movie I would highly recommend "After Hours" and "Something Wild" which are in the same NYC 80's bohemian kind of vein, although a little darker in tone.

New Wave Meets Suburbia
An entertaining tale of a bored housewife in Fort Lee, New Jersey who accidentially gets mixed up in the life of a street smart drifter was one of the biggest hits in the 1980's. Not only a hit, this film marked the major film debut of a then rising star named Madonna, and made here a household name throughout the world.

The movie which takes place in New York City circa 1985 revolves around Roberta (Arquette), a disenchanted housewife who is married to the hot tub king of New Jersey. Due to the great amount of free time in her life, Roberta reads the classifieds to follow the movements of Susan (Madonna) who happens to be in the city awaiting the arrival of her boyfriend and his band.

The movie which revolves around a theme of amnesia and a museum heist was an excellent starring for Madonna. Although the film was originally a starring vehicle for Arquette and Aidan Quinn, it was Madonna who stoled the film from the very start. Madonna-mania was sweeping the country at the time, and almost every teenage girl wanted to look and act like her.

Madonna ,who won the role after using smart marketing methods (the producers wanted to cast Ellen Barkin in the role), gave the film many wonderful touches due to her punk look (dirty blond hair, plastic bracelets, lace gloves) and gave me many memories of growing up in New York during the mid-1980's. To further compliment the film, Madonna's hit single at the time "Into the Groove," became the film's anthem, and even today, the song still sounds as good as it did then.

Director Susan Siedelman ("She Devil"; "Cookie"; "Sex & the City") does an excellent job of weaving both script and characters together. Overall this film will appeal to anyone who lived in the Metro New York area during the 1980's, as well as anyone who enjoys the New Wave style of that decade.

The DVD features are great and I was happy to see the original ending that was cut out of the film. It was great to see this, and only the great technology of DVD gives consumers many benefits that VHS doesn't. It was great to see the film's theatrical trailer as well, because trailers then look so poorly produced in comparison to the ones today.

If you are looking for a modern day classic, then this is the film for you. A true classic in '80's cinema.

GREAT MOVIE !!!!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE. THIS IS MY FAVORITE MADONNA MOVIE SHE CO-STARS W/ ROSANNA ARQUETTE . I REALLY DID LIKE THIS MOVIE. THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A MIX UP WHERE ROSANNA ARQUETTE FOLLOWS THIS PERSONAL AD:"DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN"(MADONNA) AND ABOUT A GUY NAMED JIM. (ROBERTA) ROSANNA ARQUETTE THINKS HER NAME IS SUSAN AND IT IS JUST A GREAT BIG MIX-UP BUT AT THE END THINGS FALL INTO PLACE BUT SOME CHANGES ARE MADE BUT THE MOVIE IS GREAT I LOVED IT AND I RECOMMEND ANY MADONNA FAN SHOULD HAVE THIS VIDEO IN THEIR COLLECTION.

Wacky Fun!
We rented Desperately Seeking Susan and I thought it was a cute wacky movie that was a lot of fun to watch and has a great cast that includes Maddona, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Laurie Metcalf. Rosanna Arquette plays a bored New Jersey housewife named Roberta who is interested in the personals ads she reads between a free-spirited woman from New York named Susan and a guy named Jim so when Roberta goes to New York to meet Susan she winds up getting hit on the head and she wakes up thinking she is actually Susan and gets herself into a lot of wacky situations. It's a fun movie and has great scenes of New York and I recommend it.

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Here it is ladies and gentleman, fellow Madonna fans: Madonna's first starring role in a feature film. Desperately Seeking Susan is loaded with fun and games and has become a favorite with most Madonna fans.

Roseanna Arquette plays Roberta Glass, a bored New Jersey housewife, who constantly follows the on-going relationship of Jim and Susan. One day, Roberta decides that she would really like to meet Susan, so she places an add in the paper, telling Susan to meet Roberta at Battery Park in New York City. Susan (played by Madonna) shows up, but is arrested because of cab fair. Roberta is being harrassed by some lunatic. After a bump on the head and a bout of amnesia, turns Roberta into Susan. Susan's boyfriend Jim (played by Robert Joy) askes his best friend Dez (played by Aiden Quinn) finds Roberta, but thinks she is Susan. The two become lovers.

A movie that is considered to be an instant classic and features the hit single, INTO THE GROOVE, performed by Madonna. It's a film that should not be missed. A life so complicated, it takes two women to live it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wet RULES!!
The movie was pretty much a dud until the final one "Wet". WOW!
They saved the best short film for last! Cynda is incredibly gorgeous and the camera didn't miss her beautiful body. It was tastefully done and it didn't go overboard with exploitation. The eye popping "money shot" is when she stood up in the tub with suds running down her backside, WOW!!
That shot alone gives this movie 5 stars from me. This review refers to the DVD version

Tales of Silliness
The Video "Tales of Erotica" which has 4 short movies is basically Tales of "Silliness" since none of the stories are based on erotic reality. My favorite was the final story, "Wet" which featured the beautiful Cynda Williams. The only erotic and exciting thing about this video is it's 4th story "Wet" and the nude shot of Cynda William's perfectly shaped buttocks as she rises from the hot tub dripping "wet" from the bubbly water......she is definitley worth looking at.

Not a review for the Leonard Maltin film mentioned above
The Erotic Tales video I'm reviewing has Mira Sorvino on the cover as pictured, and is 4 short stories. The Mira Sorvino one is so forgettable that I can't think of a thing to say, only that Mira doesn't get particularily erotic or nude. The Melvin Van Peebles episode was laughable, repeditive, and again not erotic.....no, only the Ken Russell episode made this worthwhile. Not erotic "spank" material to be sure, but it kept me interested, and I found it intriguing, erotic to a degree, and I was dissappointed when that segment finished.

AWFUL Movie
I like erotic movies but this one was just awful. I REALLY disliked it. The plot and the acting was not done well at all. Save your money and your time.

SWESS
SSWSATE ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wet RULES!!
The movie was pretty much a dud until the final one "Wet". WOW!
They saved the best short film for last! Cynda is incredibly gorgeous and the camera didn't miss her beautiful body. It was tastefully done and it didn't go overboard with exploitation. The eye popping "money shot" is when she stood up in the tub with suds running down her backside, WOW!!
That shot alone gives this movie 5 stars from me. This review refers to the DVD version

Tales of Silliness
The Video "Tales of Erotica" which has 4 short movies is basically Tales of "Silliness" since none of the stories are based on erotic reality. My favorite was the final story, "Wet" which featured the beautiful Cynda Williams. The only erotic and exciting thing about this video is it's 4th story "Wet" and the nude shot of Cynda William's perfectly shaped buttocks as she rises from the hot tub dripping "wet" from the bubbly water......she is definitley worth looking at.

Not a review for the Leonard Maltin film mentioned above
The Erotic Tales video I'm reviewing has Mira Sorvino on the cover as pictured, and is 4 short stories. The Mira Sorvino one is so forgettable that I can't think of a thing to say, only that Mira doesn't get particularily erotic or nude. The Melvin Van Peebles episode was laughable, repeditive, and again not erotic.....no, only the Ken Russell episode made this worthwhile. Not erotic "spank" material to be sure, but it kept me interested, and I found it intriguing, erotic to a degree, and I was dissappointed when that segment finished.

AWFUL Movie
I like erotic movies but this one was just awful. I REALLY disliked it. The plot and the acting was not done well at all. Save your money and your time.

SWESS
SSWSATE ... Read more

Amazon.com

The complete first season of Sex and the City is available on VHS and DVD, but those not ready to commit to that kind of long-term relationship can enjoy one-night stands with this video containing the first two episodes of HBO's Golden Globe award-winning series based on the book byCandace Bushnell. Sarah Jessica Parker earned Best Actress honors as Carrie Bradshaw, a "sexual anthropologist," who writes "Sex and the City," a newspaper column that chronicles the state of sexual affairs of Manhattanites in this "age of un-innocence." Her "posse," including nice girl Charlotte (Kristin Davis), hard-edged Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and incredibly promiscuous Samantha (Kim Cattral)--not to mention her own tumultuous love life--gives her plenty of column fodder. In the first episode, Carrie and company turn the tables on "toxic bachelors" and decide to start having "sex like a man." That will change when she meets Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Episode 2 coins the term"modelizer": a guy who is obsessed with and only dates models. Sex and the City boasts an exemplary ensemble and graphic girl talk not ready for prime time on the broadcast networks (with apologies to George Carlin, it turns out there are way more than seven words you can never say on television). Some may accuse this series of male bashing, but women, after years of enduring shows of "men behaving badly," will relish the equal time. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

exellent introduction to the series
Contains the first two episodes from Season 1 of SEX AND THE CITY.

SEX AND THE CITY - At a "thirty-something" birthday party, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends dicuss the age-old question: Can women have sex like men? Directed by Susan Seidelman

MODELS AND MORTALS - Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) makes the mistake of going out with a man who's obsessed with models. Carrie experiments with a handsome model and researches the question: How much power do beautiful people have? Directed by Alison Maclean.

Featuring Kim Cattrall (Samantha Jones), Kristen Davis (Charlotte York), Chris Noth (Mr Big) and Willie Garson (Stanford Blatch).

Don't stop after just 2 episodes!
I was one of those who blindly bought the entire first season. I was hooked after about 10 minutes! I have recently purchased the entire second season set and can hardly wait until the third season comes out on tape. I don't have cable TV nor do many of my friends--but we've all gotten to be big fans of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. It is so refreshing to see 4 beautiful 30-something females going through life with all its road bumps and saying exactly what's on their minds. You go, girls!!

The best show on TV
I love this show and I can relate to it tons like a lot of other women also can. This show makes me feel secure about being a women and about being in my own skin. I say if you havent seen any of the shows then get this and start watching.

Sophisticated, Witty and Very Adult
These two first episodes of the 'Sex and the City' series are very, very funny and very adult. There IS a place for truly grown up humor and, unlike some other HBO series, the language and sexual situations on 'S&C' are not there for shock value, they're there because that's how some people (these very sophisticated, privleged New Yorkers) talk and act. Perhaps with a little exaggeration, but how lucky you are to be a fly on the wall! So you may, at first, be pushing your jaw closed or squirming in your seat--but hang in there. It's addictive and bet you can't just watch two.

A Little Taste of Naughtiness
If you're a person not willing to shell out the bucks to purchase the entire first season either on VHS or DVD, then this small taste of the popular, Golden-Globe winning series will probably make you change your mind.

"Sex and the City: The First Two Episodes" feature a great cast of some of today's hottest young actresses, doing what the average urban professional does, talk about sex. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) will make you smile, laugh, and savor the wittiness and power the modern woman possesses when it comes to affairs of the bed.

This tape, which contains the premiere episode "Sex & The City" and the second episode "Models & Modelizers" will introduce you to their world of female naughtiness. Chris Noth who plays Mr. Big is wonderful as usual, and if he doesn't make you swoon with his charm and personality, then you have a problem. Sanford, Carrie's best gay friend is also great, and he gives viewers of what it is to be gay and single in New York City.

Purchase this videocassette if you'll like a small taste of what has to be the best show for adults on television. If you do like these episodes, then I encourage you to purchase the entire first series. You'll be a bonafide fan in no time! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

good fun
This movie is good fun. The actors are great: Emily Lloyd, Peter Falk and Adrian Pasdar. It's Peter Falk's typical role and if you like him in it, you'll like him here. Emily should have had more movies because she is great - and finally Adrian Pasdar gets a real chance in a movie. Good entertainment.

cute versin of the mafia
A great sunday afternoon fun story.

Cute story about daughter-father relationship
This is a really cute story about the relationship between a father (Peter Falk) who is a mobster just released from prison who meets his daughter for the first time. It's a comedy with some foreseeable events but it's the performances that are fun to watch. Falk is terrific. Weist is lovingly hilarious as the "oversexed" mistress and mother of the daughter. Brenda Vacarro is wonderfully funny in a campy role as the wife. But Adrian Pasdar as the daughter's love interest and "young sidekick, mobster wannabe" is usually the perfect foil for the rest of the other outrageous, campy roles. Pasdar charmingly steals the scenes. Even though he is often the "straight man" in this comedy, he manages to play the comedic parts very well and is as funny as the more seasoned actors. Though dated (the daughter is a "Madonna wannabe") it is a truly fun ride. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

An Offbeat Popcorn Movie
Gaudi Afternoon is based on the book by Barbara Wilson and for the most part stays pretty faithful to the characterizations created in the book. This isn't your ordinary Hollywood mystery involving guns, violence, and car chases. It's more about the people. Because this movie was so well cast, we come to like and care about the characters fairly quickly. Judy Davis, especially shines as the sexually repressed translator, Cassandra Reilly. Davis does some amazing acting with her eyes, breathing, and facial expressions. Almost as good is Marcia Gay Harden who has most of the best lines in the movie (and the juciest role, too). The supporting characters played by Lili Taylor (indie movie queen) and Juliette Lewis are also very good. The Spanish location is almost a character, too, lending the film its noir and intrigue.

The plot revolves around frustrated translator Cassandra Reilly, who finds herself blocking over her latest project, and the mysterious woman named Frankie Stevens who rescues her from her dreary life at the moment. Frankie comes to Cassandra to ask for her translation assistance in locating her ex-husband, Ben. From this basic plot point, the rest of the story unfolds at a comfortable clip.

Though most of the movie is just plain entertaining, it does try a little too hard at times to make some points about unconventional families. At these moments the movie gets sappy and seems just a bit too earnest. Thankfully these times are limited. Minor plot details seem a tad unrealistic and at times some of the characters, especially the ones played by Taylor and Lewis, devolve into stereotypes and charicatures, probably because they're not as well-developed as the two leads.

But, for the most part this is a fun, quirky, and offbeat movie. Pop yourself some popcorn and sit on a cozy couch to watch it and be entertained.

Gender Bending fun
I had the opportunity to watch Gaudi Afternoon on DVD and wondered why such a terrific, entertaining and colorful film had not yet been released theatrically. The mostly female cast is excellent, particularly Judy Davis and Marcia Gay Harden. The plot twists are clever and the Barcalona locations made me yearn for my favorite tapas bar. I also though that the timely theme of "alternative families" was dealt with in a light-hearted, but touching manner.
If you are tired of predictable movies with predictable characters -- check this one out!

This has a plot like early Almodovar, sans the frantic....
...stilleto heeled Frankie puts out a butt thrown out of the apartment window of Cassandra, ex-Kalamazoo-an, translator cum novelist living in the pre modern splendor which we currently know as Barcelona. Frankie's from the States, she does not speak the language, but she's gotta find her man, Ben, right away. Would Cassandra agree to asking around in the local language and sniff out Ben's location? There's a grand in it off the top, two grand if the party is located...plus expenses. At first Cassandra balks, but one evening while trying to focus, the prattle of family and kids has her fed up and she voices her complaint to the landlady who, by the way, reminds her she's two months due on the rent--who, by the way, is also mother of the offending children. The land lady cuts Cassandra's light out, so she's forced to find the stillettoed one's number to take up on the job. Cassandra does a couple of days worth of snooping, take a few pictures and Viola! She's found the dude. It was the SF jacket that gives it away! And this is the beginning of her entire headache with the couple. Gaudi Afternoon is a very funny movie with several unexpected twists and turns. Marcia must've gotten tired of the jokes about her name, so...you get the Frankie construct. Lili reconstructs her Solanus, but softens the touch. We get to see how beautiful Barcleona is and finally the film veiwer begins to realise that this is a strange, but sweetly touching film. If you haven't seen this, see it. The ideas in this film may come very close to offending you, but watch it, anyway. It works out nicely in the end and you will enjoy it.

beautiful scenery, interesting story
This movie shows some beautiful shots of Barcelona, where translator Cassandra (Judy Davis) is currently living. She moves around the globe for three months at a time, and that's how she likes it.

Around this time, Frankie (played by Marcia Gay Harden), a friend of a friend, finds her and asks her to find out if someone lives in a certain building. She's not a private eye, but the offer of US$3000 is pretty good. Soon, Cassandra -- who only wants to be left alone -- gets caught up in a web of a weird thrown-together "family" with a whole lot of issues. She wants out, but she wants the money more.

I liked that Cassandra (Davis) was mercenary -- why shouldn't a woman want money without getting emotionally involved? She also refused to be drawn into everyone's self-made drama. She was smart and ironic. See this film for her, as well as Harden playing a man playing a woman.

Original, fresh, fun Friday night fare
Though Barbara Wilson's novel by the same name casts the characters a bit differently than the film does, this cinematic exploration of gender and sexuality is really entertainting. When I try to explain it to my hip and theory-wise friends they roll their eyes at all of the plot twists, but they don't seem so hokey as you watch. And the opening credit sequence of this film is stunning--absolutely stunning. There are all of these gorgeous stained-glass-like images which fold and melt into one another; almost the way the identity of some of the characters evolves and shifts during the course of the film. We have the usual independent film suspects in the cast--notably Marcia Gay Harden and Lili Taylor--but oddly it doesn't just feel like yet another little indie film that could. The actors do a wonderful job of seducing us as much as each other, and Judy Davis' performance is much more nuanced than perhaps the film even asks for--which makes it especially delicious. And the landscape of Barcelona is truly fabulous. From the first frame to the last frame, you'll be entranced and engaged and surprised. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

An Offbeat Popcorn Movie
Gaudi Afternoon is based on the book by Barbara Wilson and for the most part stays pretty faithful to the characterizations created in the book. This isn't your ordinary Hollywood mystery involving guns, violence, and car chases. It's more about the people. Because this movie was so well cast, we come to like and care about the characters fairly quickly. Judy Davis, especially shines as the sexually repressed translator, Cassandra Reilly. Davis does some amazing acting with her eyes, breathing, and facial expressions. Almost as good is Marcia Gay Harden who has most of the best lines in the movie (and the juciest role, too). The supporting characters played by Lili Taylor (indie movie queen) and Juliette Lewis are also very good. The Spanish location is almost a character, too, lending the film its noir and intrigue.

The plot revolves around frustrated translator Cassandra Reilly, who finds herself blocking over her latest project, and the mysterious woman named Frankie Stevens who rescues her from her dreary life at the moment. Frankie comes to Cassandra to ask for her translation assistance in locating her ex-husband, Ben. From this basic plot point, the rest of the story unfolds at a comfortable clip.

Though most of the movie is just plain entertaining, it does try a little too hard at times to make some points about unconventional families. At these moments the movie gets sappy and seems just a bit too earnest. Thankfully these times are limited. Minor plot details seem a tad unrealistic and at times some of the characters, especially the ones played by Taylor and Lewis, devolve into stereotypes and charicatures, probably because they're not as well-developed as the two leads.

But, for the most part this is a fun, quirky, and offbeat movie. Pop yourself some popcorn and sit on a cozy couch to watch it and be entertained.

Gender Bending fun
I had the opportunity to watch Gaudi Afternoon on DVD and wondered why such a terrific, entertaining and colorful film had not yet been released theatrically. The mostly female cast is excellent, particularly Judy Davis and Marcia Gay Harden. The plot twists are clever and the Barcalona locations made me yearn for my favorite tapas bar. I also though that the timely theme of "alternative families" was dealt with in a light-hearted, but touching manner.
If you are tired of predictable movies with predictable characters -- check this one out!

This has a plot like early Almodovar, sans the frantic....
...stilleto heeled Frankie puts out a butt thrown out of the apartment window of Cassandra, ex-Kalamazoo-an, translator cum novelist living in the pre modern splendor which we currently know as Barcelona. Frankie's from the States, she does not speak the language, but she's gotta find her man, Ben, right away. Would Cassandra agree to asking around in the local language and sniff out Ben's location? There's a grand in it off the top, two grand if the party is located...plus expenses. At first Cassandra balks, but one evening while trying to focus, the prattle of family and kids has her fed up and she voices her complaint to the landlady who, by the way, reminds her she's two months due on the rent--who, by the way, is also mother of the offending children. The land lady cuts Cassandra's light out, so she's forced to find the stillettoed one's number to take up on the job. Cassandra does a couple of days worth of snooping, take a few pictures and Viola! She's found the dude. It was the SF jacket that gives it away! And this is the beginning of her entire headache with the couple. Gaudi Afternoon is a very funny movie with several unexpected twists and turns. Marcia must've gotten tired of the jokes about her name, so...you get the Frankie construct. Lili reconstructs her Solanus, but softens the touch. We get to see how beautiful Barcleona is and finally the film veiwer begins to realise that this is a strange, but sweetly touching film. If you haven't seen this, see it. The ideas in this film may come very close to offending you, but watch it, anyway. It works out nicely in the end and you will enjoy it.

beautiful scenery, interesting story
This movie shows some beautiful shots of Barcelona, where translator Cassandra (Judy Davis) is currently living. She moves around the globe for three months at a time, and that's how she likes it.

Around this time, Frankie (played by Marcia Gay Harden), a friend of a friend, finds her and asks her to find out if someone lives in a certain building. She's not a private eye, but the offer of US$3000 is pretty good. Soon, Cassandra -- who only wants to be left alone -- gets caught up in a web of a weird thrown-together "family" with a whole lot of issues. She wants out, but she wants the money more.

I liked that Cassandra (Davis) was mercenary -- why shouldn't a woman want money without getting emotionally involved? She also refused to be drawn into everyone's self-made drama. She was smart and ironic. See this film for her, as well as Harden playing a man playing a woman.

Original, fresh, fun Friday night fare
Though Barbara Wilson's novel by the same name casts the characters a bit differently than the film does, this cinematic exploration of gender and sexuality is really entertainting. When I try to explain it to my hip and theory-wise friends they roll their eyes at all of the plot twists, but they don't seem so hokey as you watch. And the opening credit sequence of this film is stunning--absolutely stunning. There are all of these gorgeous stained-glass-like images which fold and melt into one another; almost the way the identity of some of the characters evolves and shifts during the course of the film. We have the usual independent film suspects in the cast--notably Marcia Gay Harden and Lili Taylor--but oddly it doesn't just feel like yet another little indie film that could. The actors do a wonderful job of seducing us as much as each other, and Judy Davis' performance is much more nuanced than perhaps the film even asks for--which makes it especially delicious. And the landscape of Barcelona is truly fabulous. From the first frame to the last frame, you'll be entranced and engaged and surprised. ...