Desperately Seeking Susan

This film was on cable and I was able to get it free on demand. I'm not quite sure if I actually saw this in the movies (would have been around 15), but did see it the first time quite some time back. 

Fun movie. The movie's charms greatly comes from its stars (Madonna is good in film when she sticks to her strength try to get deep) and sense of place. It takes a bit of time to get into the groove of the story. Still, even that is enjoyable, since you get some of the two lead actresses. 

Likewise, the plot has a few standard silly devices (you need basically a "McGuffin" for the bad guy to be after) mixed in.  But, darn there are some good performances, including familiar faces in smaller roles such as Steven Wright (the wry comedian) as a dentist! And, it all put together in a fun way, and doesn't seem to go on too long.  This takes talent.

Susan Seidelman is the writer/director and first came to the public's attention in a more "underground" film entitled Smithereens. I have not seen the movie, but looking at a description, the lead seems a bit like Susan.  Plus, the person "desperately seeking her" (other than the bored housewife) is actually himself in a band.  Showing the time period, Aidan Quinn works at a cheap movie theater as a projectionist.  Remember?

Desperately Seeking Susan was Susan (ha) Seidelman's first "big" picture as well as Madonna's first (after a cheapie).  She went on to make various films that I have seen including Making Mr. Right (woman and a male robot) and Cookie (gangster comedy with Peter Falk).  Each are quirk films with some familiar faces, but not really big star figures.  Gaudi Afternoon also looks interesting; I will check out the book it's based on.  

[I saw Cookie after writing this.  I think I saw it before though don't remember it. A major mark in its favor is that I again was able to watch the whole thing straight thru in one sitting, something I find harder these days.

The film was enjoyable, her mom especially put in a great performance, and nice to see a late career Jerry Lewis in a good supporting role.  But, there was really less of  an enjoyable whole effort here.  Still, it was all well put together in various ways, showing the strengths of the director.] 

She also did some television, including directing a few episodes of Sex in the City (which I watched some the first time around) and  The Electric Company (I never really watched education children's programming; not a Sesame Street kid).  Some of her work (including Gaudi Afternoon) deals with GLBT issues, including one film with "competitive wheelchair ballroom dancing."  

Desperately Seeking Susan was the sort of somewhat wish fulfillment fantasy ("Susan" is tossed in an alternative lifestyle that is not exactly wondrous -- she finds a job at some low rent nightclub, but it does look pretty fun, especially if you have a hot guy), well put together film that I enjoyed watching in a theater.  

You can enjoy such things at home, but you lose something in the process.  And, like the Academy Awards with all those awards, even if people often don't care about technicals [more are being crowded off the main event], shows just what a movie involves.  Good acting, good supporting cast, writing, editing, music, and all the rest.  The film felt right basically all around.  

(For instance, the role of Susan's somewhat ordinary looking friend, Crystal, was played by Anna Thomson. She was very good in a small role. She popped up in Tune in Tomorrow, another fun movie.)

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I need some fresh material for later nite viewing, if only syndicated material.  Still, there is pleasure in watching some of the old favorites, like iCarly (catch some scenes I don't remember from the first time around).  

Miranda Cosgrove on that show was the sort of person you could pine for as a teenager without her seeming too unreachable.  She also is very cute being embarrassed about certain things.  The others on that show are good too with a lot of energy.  "Sam" eventually noted that the whole thing was not a great experience, especially burnt out when the spin-off filmed a lot of episodes in a short period of time. 

Since she is almost 30 now, me talking about that is not skeevy at all.  Seriously, adults are allowed to cite clear aspects of such characters though actually pining for them is best left for adults.  Time moves on. Now the actress who played Monica on Friends is older (though she is older than the character anyhow) than her older boyfriend (around 50) was at the time. 

And, look at Mary Chapin Carpenter here in 1991.  How long ago?!

ETA:  I saw a bit of So Undercover, with a spunky/sarcastic Miley Cyrus going undercover as a sorority sister.  Various familiar faces, including now repeat Hallmark movie player Autumn Reeser in a small role.  Aimed for teen fans of her t.v. series and such, probably, the bit I saw of it seemed pretty painless.