I love this movie so much

Instant Favorite.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

If watched in 1987 "Nadine" could be labeled as one terrible movie which only wasted time, energy, money and a good cast on a loose plot. But when one watches this now, one must see it in a different light. It's far from being bad. It's very cool actually. Take two attractive actors, make them as an unusual pair in between loving and hating each other, trying to survive dangerous people and thrilling situations, then you have a movie. And quite a short one (78 minutes). What prevents "Nadine" of being found good by viewers relates in seeing who's involved in it and why they're stuck with such a heavily clichéd, flawed picture. Why Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger would star in something like this, playing loud, talky, cheap characters who try to be smarter than smartness itself? Or why Academy Award winner Robert Benton would go forward in writing and directing such a strange project? The conclusion reached was that this was a way of doing something fun, a child's play. Hollywood indulging itself with plenty of fun in the making and hoping people notice that and perhaps enjoy it for what it is. In this department, as being a fun work, it succeeds despite the pros and cons. Today it's easier to make things like this and with better results ("Ocean's Eleven" is a living proof of this, a movie made among friends, very easy and it became quite profitable, going with two more sequels). How come no one notices that in this film? It's not trying to convey messages or have a higher purpose, it's just a small entertainment, fine. It's the kind of story presented time and time again in countless pictures: Nadine (Basinger) testifies a murder, then she gets chased by people involved in it who want something she might have taken out from the victim, something that belongs to them. Endangered and with nothing better to do, she contacts her soon to be ex-husband (Bridges), a lousy bar owner drowned in debts and misunderstandings, who's desperately for divorcing his wife to marry his new girl (Glenne Headly) as fast as possible. Fun thing about this is seeing the story made in the 1950's, for whatever reasons. Basinger and Bridges make a very exciting couple, they're pretty good together. Hearing their accents might be a problem to many, I think it's quite hilarious at parts. Not much of an intelligent, brilliantly written comedy, it just goes in presenting goofy situations and bright action sequences (final shootout is the best and also the bit with the snakes in the room). Final analysis: it never gets great as it could be and even gets weary in such short running time but it's an amusing film, well acted by everyone involved, and with a nice soundtrack. Let go of everything and just enjoy the show. It manages to save the day. 6/10

It's Austin, Texas, 1954, and Jeff Bridges's biggest ambition is a gaudy neon to top-off his tacky, no-business, beer bar, while estranged wife and apprentice hairdresser Kim Basinger sends her "art photos" to Playboy magazine. Obviously they're made for each other. Meanwhile, her sleazo photographer turns up dead and they're on the run. It's delightful madcap as they bumble their way through a series of misadventures. Their subtly affectionate sniping reminds me of a bad grammar version of Nick and Nora Charles in the uptown Thin Man series. Surprisingly, the California born Bridges has the "good ol' boy" drawl down pat, while even the usually snooty Basinger manages a convincing honky-tonk queen. Good period detail without the distractive sounds of Golden Oldies. -- With a delightfully arch Rip Torn as the slyly superior villain. It's amazing how these little gems keep getting produced with little or no recognition. All in all, great escapist fare for a slow evening at home.

This is the kind of movie that starts out with strikingly real characterizations--Nadine is herself quite a piece of work, Texas country simple but shrewd with a strong will--and an interesting premise, but doesn't maintain the excellence.Kim Basinger is gorgeous in the title role and natural. Jeff Brides plays her estranged husband Vernon Hightower who owns a bar in Austin, Texas circa 1954 that is not doing much in the way of business. He is one of those guys who dream of making it big financially in business as a proof of his manhood, a guy who has always just gotten by on his good looks, a guy who often lies and cuts corners and can't be trusted, but a guy with a smile to charm a rattlesnake. These two really love each other but are currently in the process of getting divorced and Vernon has a girl friend (Renee, played with eager finesse by Glenne Headly) that he wants to marry, he thinks.The plot begins with Nadine going to a photographer's studio and demanding to get back some "art studio" shots of her that were taken under the guise of being shown to Hugh Hefner at Playboy. The photographer is murdered and Nadine mistakenly ends up with some photos of the plans for the new Interstate that will be built nearby, plans that Buford Pope (Rip Torn) and his thugs want for themselves because, if you know where the highway will be built you can buy up the property near it on the cheap and then sell it later for a big profit. Vernon knows this too and when he finds the photos in Nadine's purse, he takes off with them.The questions that the plot will answer are (1) Will Vernon and Nadine escape from Buford Pope and his strongmen with the photos and their lives? and (2) Will Vernon and Nadine realize they really love each other and find true love and happiness together? There is a shoot-out in a junkyard near the end that's...different, and there's a neat car chase and...well, the movie that started out so well deteriorates into something ordinary, but not all that bad.Robert Benton, who wrote the script for Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and both wrote and directed Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) directed. He has a fine feel for character and can write authentic and witty dialogue. He is not at his best here; nonetheless this is definitely worth seeing mainly because Bridges and Basinger do such a great job of filling up the screen. Basinger in particular is wonderful. See it for her.(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

I saw this movie with a friend. Immediately after leaving the theater, he asked, "what was that movie about?" I racked my brains and could only remember one seen where the lead lady is crossing between two buildings on a rickety ladder. The movie can't be very good if you suppress over 99% of it.