Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

A free-spirited woman (Melanie Griffith) "kidnaps" a yuppie (Jeff Daniels) for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-convict husband (Ray Liotta) shows up.Ray Liotta is the saving grace of this film. I am not sure how he got typecast as thugs over the course of his career, but he is awfully good at playing them, here included. He saves the film, because Jeff Daniels really offers nothing special. I don't tend to think of him as a great actor, though he has his moments ("Escanaba")... and this is not one of them.Then there is Melanie Griffith, who seems to enjoy playing prostitutes in movies and getting naked as often as possible. I shouldn't complain about that, but she's nothing special as an actress. Have I said "nothing special" too many times? Well, that is how I feel about this.

Something Wild is somewhat of a lost gem. It is by far and away the best thing that Griffith has ever done. She's gritty, intelligent, ironic and never plays for schlock. She was very well directed by Demme, appearing controlled and reserved in her character's journey. The veiled references to Louise Brooks and Frida Kahlo in Lulu/Audrey's character are a welcomed and an insidiously wonderful touch. She is brilliantly supported by Jeff Daniels and Ray Liotta. Something Wild also contains the best New Wave soundtrack ever attached to a film, of course assembled by Laurie Anderson and John Cale. Amazing what can happen to a soundtrack when the talent behind it is knowledgeable, pertinent and relevant. The music is integral and perfectly matched to the action.Good performances by all Melanie Griffith, with that little-girlie voice, is always an appealing actress, and Liotta is effectively funny and frightening. Jeff Daniels is perfect too he's one of these actors who never calls attention to himself, but never puts a foot wrong. Demme directs with splendid efficiency. Add lucid cinematography from Tak Fujimoto, and a great score, and you have a winner.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

"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.

Newly promoted vice-president Charles Driggs meets free-spirited "Lulu" 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.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.They go to her high school reunion posing as husband and wife.But Audrey's ex-husband Ray Sinclair that has just been released from prison on parole meets her in the party.After a while, Ray becomes violent, he hits Charlie, and he kidnaps Audrey. But Charlie does not intend to give up on her...Having not seen this movie for over twenty years, i did not know what to expect, as I was young then, and didn't really get the connotations.While it still feels freah today and highly original, one cannot help but think that it takes a while to get going.The first act is the zany comedy, and it really hits you as much as it does Charlie, what is happening to him, and why? The second act is the romance, as soon as Griffith changes her hair, it changes her personality and the personality of the film.And then once we are introduced to Ray, the film turns dark instantly. I have never seen an entrance by a character that can change a films atmosphere in literally a second. One moment, you feel like Charlie is finally getting the upper hand in life, and then Liotta changes everything Liotta is easily the best thing about this film, as his cold glare and psychopathic tendencies really make this film something else. If somebody had left the room for twenty minutes and came, they would honestly think they were watching a different movie.Daniels and Griffith are fun, and really make the film more endearing, but it does sometimes feel mixed up and a little schizophrenic.But the film can never be called boring, because it does entertain, especially seeing and pointing out all the cameos.