People are voting emotionally.

Best movie ever!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Johnny Suede is like underground-filmmaking lite. It comes almost around the end of that era of New York City filmmaking that started many years before with more radical types like Andy Warhol and Jack Smith, and continued on with Jim Jarmusch (whom director Tom DiCillo worked for at one time), Betty Gordon and the guys that made New York Beat Movie. It's something about the beat of the street that DiCillo is interested in, at least in some part. But at the same time his lead figure is played by Brad Pitt, and it's like the slightly dim-witted rockabilly version of Henry from Eraserhead. It's nowhere near as bizarro as that, but DiCillo does try to be sure. He even has his intrepid would-be lady's man walking around a downtown NYC that looks as run-down as could be at the time, right before the city got a little more gentrified. It's a place with oddball rock n' rollers and street bums, midgets and painters, and oddball types of other varieties.If it isn't entirely great it's because the film inhabits a strange region where it's not entirely underground, and could never be something mainstream despite its young star (who had just finished being female eye-candy in Thelma & Louise). Pitt is very good in the role though, taking up a character who isn't quite as stupid as he looks, but not intelligent enough to live in the "real" world. He's more into being a kind of hunky rockabilly guy, Ricky Nelson his idol, his huge pompadour the envy of anyone except for Nick Cave's character Freak Storm, also with an impressive head of hair. Like a real 'indie' movie there isn't too much of a plot: Suede gets a pair of shoes that kind of define him, tries to make a band that doesn't work out, paints to make ends meet, falls in love with one girl who dumps him for another and dates another (Catherine Keener) whom loves him dearly but who he treats badly. What we have then is a movie without much of a story, and without much of a character that is iconic in ways that these indie films need to be. So why praise it so? Because of DiCillo's vision, and because Pitt does give the character what he needs as far as being real and raw enough to be taken seriously. He's a lunkhead, but not a bad person, kind of innocent and at his most vulnerable like a little puppy who needs help finding a woman's privates. It's a heady mix of grungy romance and some delirious dreams, some more touching than others. It could even be considered like a more "conventional" cousin to Eraserhead, where dreams and reality sometimes are indistinguishable to its protagonist, and whose direction in love and life is uncertain. If it's a little too light in the loafers to be fully embraced it may be expected as a first feature. It's a fine jumping-off pad artistically for both its director (later to do the great Living in Oblivion) and of course its star, not to mention a very beautiful Catherine Keener and a perfectly weird Nick Cave.

A black comedy from Tom DiCillo about a troubled young man, Johnny Suede(Brad Pitt), with a an attitude piled as high as his pompadour. Johnny desperately wants to be a rock n' roll star like his idol Ricky Nelson. He thinks he has the voice, the threads; but he lacks any outstanding talent and most of all...a pair of black suede shoes. One night like out of a dream, a pair of black suede shoes falls from the sky and they fit. Almost immediately Johnny's life becomes very complicated with women, money and forming a band with a guitar fresh out of hock. Maybe a gun and a liquor store could jump start a future. But there is the lack of a bullet. Just like Johnny's life becomes aimless without a true direction.Filmed mainly in Brooklyn makes for a great atmosphere correlating with the action. This movie comes before Pitt is to be known around the world, so he can afford taking chances. He often plays with whats in his underwear and even dares to sing as the guitar work of Link Wray twangs throughout making a cohesive story. If you are one that finds interest in the formation of life inside original rock n' roll you'll find JOHNNY SUEDE funny, sympathetic and fun to watch. Fascinating soundtrack.Others in the cast: Alison Moir, Catherine Keener, Calvin Levels, Nick Cave, Tina Louise and Samuel L. Jackson.

Definitely my favorite Brad Pitt movie, very cool. This film has a great humour all of its own that bounces against the bleak environment. Was good to see Nick Cave's cameo here, he is cool too. I very much appreciated the whole thing with the relationships with the first girl who soon dumps him and Yvonne who is now offering everything but unfortunately he has been scared. This film truly is a cross between Eraserfead and James Dean if you ask me, it has that Lynchian quality to it. This film got me laughing out loud which was great. Some good music in here too, timeless good music. this is a very entertaining film, it has the right tempo to keep you watching.

Tom Dicillo, after Living in Oblivion and Box of Moonlight, has proved himself to be one of the best writers and directors in the business. This, his feature film debut as director, is a nice tale which is solid entertainment but not as good as his later films.Brad Pitt looks a bit too pretty throughout the film (watch Living in Oblivion, the James LeGros character is a parody of Pitt) but there is a good supporting cast, and the film has some very good moments. Definitely worth watching. 7 out of 10