gedhurst Rewatching Something Wild recently some 30 years after I first saw it, I was struck by how vividly the craziness of the story stayed in my memory, but also how surprising and unexpected the plot turns were. This is a good sign that that someone took time to craft an excellent plot. In fact, the film makers have lavished tender loving care on every aspect of this film and given it a lot of heart.Melanie Griffith does everything but set the screen on fire as she takes Jeff Daniel's humdrum office worker life and turns it upside down. We're then taken on a helter-skelter anything-goes trip where the couple leave the city and the staid conventions of middle class life behind as they plunge into a passionate affair and journey deep into the comforting familiarity of small town America with its motels, folksy shops and and kindly people. Ironically this is where the greatest danger lurks in the shape of old flame Ray Liotta, grinning maniacally and flipping the madcap whimsy into insane violence.Every minor character on this trip fills you with good vibes, in sharp contrast to the sinister kind of twist that current-day Hollywood mainstream gives to bit players. The soundtrack, for fans of 80s music, is fantastic - you're bound to hear stuff you haven't heard for ages.This film works on many levels: the actors are charming and charismatic, and their parts are well and sympathetically written. It's a loving memoir of a materialistic decade that many thought was money-obsessed but was filled with many hapless characters like this reviewer who lived similar episodes in their own lives: except not so wild!

SnoopyStyle Charles Driggs (Jeff Daniels) is outwardly a stuffy businessman in NYC. He tries to dine and dash, but gets called out by Lulu/Audrey Hankel (Melanie Griffith). She sees him as a secret rebel. She offers to drive him back to his office but instead takes him on a wild trip. She's stealing and sleeping with the married Charles in a motel. She brings him back to visit her mother and go to the class reunion as Charles' wife. Ray Sinclair (Ray Liotta) and his girlfriend Irene (Margaret Colin) show up at the reunion and take Charles and Audrey for a drive. Ray turns out to be Audrey's ex-con husband and he holds up a convenience store.Melanie Griffith delivers one of the most memorable character in cinema. She's a Manic Pixie Dream Girl before that term existed. She's also more three dimensional than that. Jeff Daniels is almost as good and shows his versatility. My main problem with him is the first half where he is supposedly a married man cheating on his loving wife. Instead of a compelling reveal later on, I would have started with Charles as a lonely non-married guy. It kept me from liking Charles and thinking that he's a lousy cheater. Ray Liotta is always great as a crazed maniac. It's a wild times.

witster18 "Something Wild" is a pulpy-weird mess of a fantastic movie. The characters have depth, the dialog is sharp, and the music backing it all is glorious.Melanie Griffith is spot-on as a free-spirited woman who dabbles in petty-crime and men, but also successfully brings heart to the role. Jeff Daniels' physical comedy and innocence make him the perfect match, and what better estranged husband to bring into the mess than Ray Liotta. He was built for parts like this.Reminds me a bit of the directors earlier release, "Married to the Mob", only much better. There's something very serious about this film that really sets it apart. The violence and the threat of violence seems very real, and the characters actions seem extremely realistic, albeit totally wacky.There are many moments that make us read further into the characters and their situations... the trip to LuLu's(Griffith) Mom's house, and the moment when Daniels flees the hotel... these scenes are great because they don't treat the viewer like a 5 yr-old. You can really gather tons of insight into these characters without all of the information being spoonfed to the audience. It's a rather 'smart' film.The other great thing here is the music. It's truly fantastic. A great soundtrack is bolstered by some awesome Reggae/ska/rock selections and some live clips from the "Feelies" who are playing a reunion scene. The "Feelies" stuff is just incredible, and will make you seek out their stuff immediately, and the film incorporates all the music seamlessly and effectively throughout the film.The is one of the best 80's sleepers. It's right there with "After Hours", "Miracle Mile", "Body Double", "Gotcha", "Up the Creek" and "Let it Ride". A truly unique film. Risqué. Genre-bending. Sharp, witty, and thoroughly entertaining. I refuse to throw this the rom-com genre simply because the film is too good to be generalized like that.Highly recommended. 80/100You'll like this if you liked: Married to the Mob(not as good), After Hours(better), Gotcha(not quite as good) or Miracle Mile(close, very close, perhaps a touch better)Having Melanie Griffith running around naked the whole movie doesn't hurt, but even on that note there's a weird realistic edge to all the sexuality in the film. It's unbelievably sexy without being dirty, cliché', or overdone.So glad I revisited this little gem, and very happy to own it.I can see how some may not care for it's seedy characters, but that's life man... definitely don't see how anyone should dismiss it or hate it for that reason.

Claudio Carvalho In New York, the yuppie newly promoted Vice President Charles Driggs (Jeff Daniels) meets the sexy and free-spirited Lulu (Melanie Griffith) after cheating a restaurant for fun. Lulu offers a ride for him in her convertible but she "abducts" Charles and they go to a motel in New Jersey, where they spend the night together. On the next morning, she heads to her hometown in Pennsylvania to spend the weekend with Charlie. When they arrive in her mother's home, she discloses her real name – Audrey Hankel – to him and she tells her mother that Charlie is her husband. In the night, they go to her high-school reunion posing as husband and wife. But Audrey's ex-husband Ray Sinclair (Ray Liotta) that has just left prison on probation meets her in the party. Audrey does not tell Charlie who Ray is and Charlie accepts Ray's invitation to drink some beer with him and his date Irene (Margaret Colin). After a while, Ray becomes violent, hits Charlie and kidnaps Audrey. But Charlie does not intend to give up on her. "Something Wild" is one of my favorite films and one of the best cult- movies of the 80's. I have just watched this film at least for the sixth time and I still love it. The sweet and gorgeous Melanie Griffith has one of the best performances of her career in the role of a young woman detached in a moment from the social conventions and extremely conservative when she meets her mother. Lulu is a reference to Louise Brooks' character in "Pandora's Box". Jeff Daniels is also excellent and very funny in the role of a naive and silly executive that finds that is better off feel like a live dog than a dead lion. Ray Liotta is also fantastic in the role of a cynical scum. The screenplay divides the story in two parts and fight in Charlie's house is impressively realistic. Last but not the least, the soundtrack is fantastic. My vote is nine.Title (Brazil): "Totalmente Selvagem" ("Totally Wild")Note: On 18 August 2014 I saw this movie again.