‘I can’t believe the two of you are eating in the middle of a crisis like this…’
The film career of Madonna Louise Ciccone (or just Madonna to her friends) has completely passed me by. I’m vaguely aware of Evita, I guess. Don’t Cry for Me Argentina and all that jazz. I know she did that by all accounts terrible movie with her then-boyfriend Guy Ritiche. Beyond that, I’m struggling. Following a recommendation from a friend whose opinion I trust, Desperately Seeking Susan seemed the perfect starting point for Madge’s movie career…
Roberta Glass (Rosanna Arquette), a bored housewife in the suburbs, develops an unhealthy obsession with Susan (Madonna) – a free spirit who communicates with her many conquests through personal ads in the newspaper. A concept that now feels wonderfully quaint. Following a classic ’80s knock to the head, Roberta instantly loses her memory and hilarity mostly ensues.
Let’s begin with Madonna. She’s not a great actress. But. And this is important. She is an utterly magnetic screen presence. Her line readings are sometimes a little flat or strange, but her self-confidence and sheer star power ensure that she steals every scene she’s in. Director Susan Seidelman, working from Leora Barish’s screenplay, wisely uses Madge sparingly and this means that when she does appear she really hits. The camera adores her. Arquette is great here also, and it’s a shame that the two of them don’t really share much screen time together. I would watch the hell out of a Thelma and Louise-type movie with the two of them.
Desperately Seeking Susan is of its time without feeling dated, it’s quirky without being annoying, and it provides Madonna with a platform to remind us why she was one of the biggest stars in the world for decades. All in all, it’s a good time.