Who's That Girl

This movie is one of my favs...It is a screwball comedy, and for those not familiar with the formula will probably not get this movie, definitely in the same vein as "Bringing Up Baby" or "What's Up Doc" (coincidentally, BUB was also a flop in its original release, but was rediscovered as a classic confection of the screwball comedy). In other words, this movie is a check your brain at the door movie, and just have some fun, no redeeming quality, other than to take you on a great trip...I recommend this movie to any fan of wild comedy (and it is easy to forget your watching Madonna, she is really good in this movie)...

A reworking of a screwball comedy classic, Bringing Up Baby, with Madonna of all people shouldn't work. This one somehow does, thanks mostly to the two leads. Yes, Madonna is a limited actress and not every scene is perfect, but she does an admirable job bringing a fun and likable character to life. Most importantly it doesn't just feel like she's playing herself. The criminally underrated Griffin Dunne deserves a lot of praise, as well. He was my favorite part of the movie. I think he elevates the material and gets the best out of Madonna in their scenes together. I wish he had done more crazy comedies like this because he's very good at it.

It's not a flawless film and I certainly understand the complaints. The fair ones, at least, not the petty ones. But it's a very fun comedy with a quick pace and likable actors. What's Up Doc is still probably the best modern screwball comedy I've seen but this one is nothing to dismiss. Try to leave preconceptions about Madonna or the film's reputation at the door and give it a fair shot. I think you'll be happily surprised.

Before she appeared in a series of Freudian dramas (Body of Evidence, Dangerous Game, Evita), Madonna experimented with juxtaposing the Nabokovian ideal of naive nymphette (see Desperately Seeking Susan) with that of unabashed working-class sexuality. What results is a masterpiece of subtle Neo-Marxist Feminism, culminated in the character of Nikki Fin. At the onset we're forced to inquire about Nikki's identity: Really, who is that girl? Is she dressing that way intentionally? Does her sartorial behavior undermine or fuel her existential yearnings? Disguised as a comedy, Who's That Girl toys with the notion that under certain social imperatives (read capitalism reeling from Reaganomics) women must find purpose by not simply exercising hostility on their male peers, but expect social gain and subordination from their attempts. Can I recommend Who's That Girl? Wholeheartedly, I can.

The critics pile on most post-"Desperately" Madonna comedies, but this was not at all bad. It's a latter-day "Bringing Up Baby," and it's no insult to the memory of Hawks, Grant and Hepburn to say this was almost as good. Not ringing praise, but I think fans of screwball owe it to themselves to see it. Madonna's Golden Globe for "Evita" and stunning film debut in "Susan" were no fluke; she is quite funny here. Griffin Dunne is a worthy foil, as she brings out his best performance. I defy non-Grinches not to laugh when she pulls a "Knock Knock" joke at a staid coop board meeting. See it.

...but I am sorry. I dig this movie. I cannot help it. I admire Madonna greatly for her staying power; by some people's standards, Madonna has been around forever, and EVERYONE knows who she is. My take is this: kooky Nikki Finn dragging pathetically straightlaced Louden Trott all around the city on her own agenda, right after she's gotten out of the joint, is FUNNY. Is this movie immature? Yeah, sometimes. Is it predictable? Yeah, sometimes. Is it a fluffy little film that's regarded by some as a cheesy classic of the eighties? Yep. As Madonna said later, "Why don't you just deal with it?" :)