IMDb RATING
6.1/10
28K
YOUR RATING
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.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.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.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
Anna Thomson
- Crystal
- (as Anna Levine)
José Angel Santana
- Boutique Owner
- (as Jose Santana)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I fear I may be going against the grain here...
"Desperately Seeking Susan" was certainly inventive, original, and oftentimes fun. The acting was actually decent, even from Madonna (whose acting has won her 6 Razzies). However, I think the movie suffers from being labelled a comedy. While a couple lines brought a smile or a chuckle, I rarely laughed throughout this movie. Not that there were jokes that didn't work; I couldn't tell what was even supposed to be funny! The whole situation was amusing, but I wouldn't call it laugh-out-loud funny. Eh, whatever. I'd still recommend it.
"Desperately Seeking Susan" was certainly inventive, original, and oftentimes fun. The acting was actually decent, even from Madonna (whose acting has won her 6 Razzies). However, I think the movie suffers from being labelled a comedy. While a couple lines brought a smile or a chuckle, I rarely laughed throughout this movie. Not that there were jokes that didn't work; I couldn't tell what was even supposed to be funny! The whole situation was amusing, but I wouldn't call it laugh-out-loud funny. Eh, whatever. I'd still recommend it.
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985 Dir. Susan Seidelman) "Chicks" love this movie for the feminist, take charge of your life point of view, while guys enjoy this movie cuz there are plenty of bra shots. Madonna in her first starring (supporting really) role as a street-smart hustler being chased by some small time hoods. Rosanna Arquette gets mistaken for the Madonna character and therein lies the plot of this oh so '80s comedy.
Set in summer in Manhattan, the movie preserves like a time capsule so much of the decade: the hair, the clothes, the music. And of course there's Madonna clanking her balls from start to finish. Ms. Arquette (in the supposed starring role) had the movie not merely stolen, but ripped out of her hands by the unstoppable force of the 80s: Madonna!
Set in summer in Manhattan, the movie preserves like a time capsule so much of the decade: the hair, the clothes, the music. And of course there's Madonna clanking her balls from start to finish. Ms. Arquette (in the supposed starring role) had the movie not merely stolen, but ripped out of her hands by the unstoppable force of the 80s: Madonna!
yay! madonna actually does have one good movie! (and yes, we are talking about this one.) she plays susan, who is the definition of a free-spirit. and rosanna arquette is just as delightful as she always is, and frankly i would expect nothing less.
the soundtrack is an 80s gem. madonna's song "into the grove" is proudly featured and really sets the mood in the club scene. and the 80s fashion provides such an effective blast from the past that one really finds himself back in 1985.
this was overall a really good movie. it was fun and the characters were likable. i recommend that you rent it for an evening in with the friends.
the soundtrack is an 80s gem. madonna's song "into the grove" is proudly featured and really sets the mood in the club scene. and the 80s fashion provides such an effective blast from the past that one really finds himself back in 1985.
this was overall a really good movie. it was fun and the characters were likable. i recommend that you rent it for an evening in with the friends.
I really enjoyed the concept behind this movie and how all the characters sort of fall into place. The acting is good and the actors really fit their characters. The storyline is well developed, but it could have lost the stolen jewelry piece, it wasn't necessary. A fun mindlessly enjoyable and relatable movie, I think there's a Susan in all of us.
As silly as the plot of this film is, it's gotten slightly better with age, containing as it does a little time capsule of the 1980's. There is Madonna's fashion sense and her song Into the Groove of course, but also little things, like how sushi was a new thing in America at the time, or a cameo from the triplets who were all the rage (see the documentary, Three Identical Strangers (2018)). As much as I loved seeing John Turturro and Laurie Metcalf in very early roles for them, I loved seeing comedian Steven Wright even more. He always cracked me up, though he isn't given a lot to work with here. Madonna was on top of the world at this time and is alluring as expected here, and there are feminist messages in both her character's strength and the bored housewife's (Rosanna Arquette) emerging understanding of just how disappointed she is in her husband's inattentiveness. There are massive plot contrivances, like the bonks on the head that conveniently produce amnesia and then later "no amnesia," but it's fun, light-hearted fare.
Did you know
- TriviaCamel withdrew a $5,000 sponsorship because of the scene in which Dez tells Roberta that she "should stop smoking."
- GoofsWhen Susan sees the two criminals on television, the blond guy is called Richard Nolan. In the closing credits, the character is named Wayne Nolan.
- Quotes
Cigarette Girl: Susan!
Susan: Hi.
Cigarette Girl: My God, we all thought you were dead!
Susan: No, just in New Jersey.
- Alternate versionsThere is an edited version for basic cable and broadcast television which appeared on the WE channel (and probably other outlets) after September 11, 2001, where several shots of the World Trade Center have been expunged (along with the usual swear words, drug references, etc.)
- SoundtracksInto the Groove
Performed by Madonna
Written by Madonna and Stephen Bray
Courtesy of Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records
- How long is Desperately Seeking Susan?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Desesperadamente buscando a Susana
- Filming locations
- Love Saves The Day - 119 Second Avenue, East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(Roberta Glass purchases Susan's jacket at store)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $27,398,584
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,526,098
- Mar 31, 1985
- Gross worldwide
- $27,408,069
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