Desperately Seeking Susan
Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan

1985Movie104 minEnglish

A bored New Jersey suburban housewife's fascination with a free-spirited woman she has read about in the personal columns leads to her being mistaken for the woman herself and into a chaotic adventure of amnesia and self-discovery.

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Insights

IMDb6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes64%
Metacritic60/100
Google Users78%
Director: Susan SeidelmanGenres: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Plot Summary

A bored New Jersey housewife becomes fascinated by a mysterious drifter she spies on through a personal ad, leading her to assume the identity of the woman she idolizes. Her life takes a chaotic turn when she gets entangled with the drifter's ex-boyfriend and a dangerous conspiracy.

Critical Reception

Desperately Seeking Susan was a critical and commercial success, praised for its quirky humor, stylish direction, and breakout performances, particularly from Madonna. It became a cult classic and is often cited as a key film of 1980s New York cinema.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its energetic and stylish direction, capturing the spirit of 1980s New York.
  • Celebrated Madonna's charismatic screen presence, which launched her acting career.
  • Often noted for its lighthearted, screwball-comedy tone despite the underlying crime elements.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the film's fun, energetic vibe and Madonna's captivating performance as major draws. Many appreciate its unique style and sense of adventure, though some find the plot a bit convoluted.

Fun Fact

Madonna's iconic cone bra, worn in the film's promotional material, was designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier and became a symbol of 1980s fashion.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
Wuchak

Wuchak

***Screwball drama in Manhattan with Rosanna Arquette and Madonna*** Roberta (Rosanna Arquette), a bored housewife in the New York City area, becomes obsessed with a wild child named Susan (Madonna) through the personal ads and inadverte...
TimtheGiant

TimtheGiant

I always thought this was one of Madonna's best film performance yet.