I've always found this movie in the cheap sales in HMV, friends and family who have 'never heard of it'. Is it me or is this movie an absolute gem? The roller coaster of emotions, the great soundtrack, Ray Liota FFS!!!
I've never known a film change direction so dramatically from being a comedy to a serious violent drama at the drop of a hat, or David Bowies Fame to be precise.
Class class film!
Don't get me started on this film. It's legendary in my mind. I know that Demme's mainly known for Silence and Philadelphia, but they really don't hold up for me. I can watch this several times a year, every year and never get tired of it. It's perfectly cast, perfectly edited, perfectly directed, with a killer soundtrack. ' 8.5 ' to ' 9 ' out of 10 from me! I about had a cow when I read that Su Tissue, the chick who plays the wife of Charles' co-worker Larry, had been the lead singer of an LA punk band. I guess ya can't always tell a book by it's cover.
shareI agree. Something Wild is such a unique film and yet everything about it is perfect - acting, writing, directing, editing, and of course the music. I remember some were turned off with the shifting tone of the film, yet it doesn't bother me in the least.
It's a film so memorable that even years later I remember certain gestures the actors made, specific songs, specific shots, et cetera. For me, this was the peak for everyone involved. Although Griffith made the wonderful Working Girl two years later and Demme directed the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs five years later, somehow their work on those films didn't measure up to the uniqueness of SW. Everyone is at the top of their game in this film and it is an '80s classic.
I find it weird that people don't like this movie more. At rotten tomatoes it has an 88% fresh rating among critics but only 59% among the audience! Critics like Pauline Kael, David Thomson and Roger Ebert love it but it only gets a 6.7 among IMDB users.
Personally I love it, it starts out as this sexy screwball comedy and turns into a look at the dark underbelly of America.
^^After reading all its praises, I watched it and did not love it like the rest of you all.
shareI have always loved this film after watching it on the edge of my seat as a youngster. Ray Liotta was perfectly cast and has never put in a better performance. Again, Melanie Griffith was exceptional, and I am not a big fan of her ordinarily. A very disturbing, wuirky and chilling film which also has great moments of humor. A very black comedy. A film worthy or a much wider appreciation and audience.
A seriously underrated film, one of my all time favourites as well.
No doubt about it! This movie is incredible. It was my number one movie until I saw "The Ref", now it's a tie.
Ray Liotta should have received an oscar for his role. He was outstanding!
Yeah, it´s arguably even better than that Demme´s big hit Silence Of The Lambs, let alone Philadelphia or the little middle-American morality tale Melvin & Howard which is bloody awful. Something Wild is far more unconventional, unpredictable and fun than any of those.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
Cheap sales in HMV doesn't have anything to do with the quality of a movie. It's just whether or not there is a demand for it. I've seen many MANY great movies as cheap as chips. Funny that. But yeah I think this movie is very underrated, considering how I've never really heard of it. I only decided to see it cos of Jonathan Demme. I'm glad I did
No expectations, no disappointments.
I watched this a while back ago on HBO and have been trying to find it since. Like others have mentioned, it is so under-rated that it is just overlooked. The acting and quality in this movie is intense. Jeff Daniels is also under-rated in his ability to hold serious roles but he shows a different side in this movie. Early on we see him smiling and cheeking like you expect, then he does the unthinkable and turns the tables upside down. The soundtrack and cinematography just add to this great movie and I ranked it a 9/10.
For those interested, this movie is being shown on MGM HD. I was able to catch it on late last night.
I LOVE this movie. I saw it on HBO late at night several years ago, and I have no idea why I decided to watch it, having never heard of it, but I did, and now I'll watch it whenever it's on. To me, it's one of the most rewatchable movies of all time. It's such a fun, quirky romantic comedy, and then suddenly Ray Liotta shows up and infuses so much energy and volatility into the second half of the movie. There's a pervasive sense of danger whenever he's on screen.
I'll never understand why this doesn't even rate a 7/10 on here. I gave it a 10/10. It's probably in my top 10 movies of all time, and I'm not particularly unconventional when it comes to my favorite movies. I would guess the other 9 movies in my top 10 all rate above an 8/10. I feel like most of the world is missing out on a really good one here.
and zero zero seven charlie !! I heard it after decades
Darkness lies an inch ahead
Very good film and not often discussed.
Good fun, Griffith and Daniels are very good and Liotta steals the show!
As far as IMDB ratings go, you're way off because if anything this movie is way OVER-rated. I really don't get the critical ratings on IMDB - a mediocre film like this gets 7.3 and then other decent films get like 5 and lower? Makes no sense. The first hour of this film was horribly slow and boring. The three main characters definitely brought their 'A' game to this film though. The sound track is awful and the fight scene at the end was completely ridiculous. Not to mention the sappy unfulfilling ending.
shareYeah - it's overseen but not underrated. It's funny, it's sexy, it has suspense, nice acting by Jeff & Ray but not by Melanie. Nice 80-like score though it sounds a bit camp now. Good editing. I like the main idea of making a picture that starts as a light-hearted comedy but turns being a thriller. Good constructed story-line.
7/10.