Review of Married to the Mob (1988) by Cassandra A — 18 Aug 2007

I finally saw this film, one of Jonathan Demme's pre-Silence of the Lambs Romance Comedies. This film is yet another which has one of those oddball 80's-meets 90's tones. Overall, I found this to be an average quality film, with some above average elements. A few things I found of particular importance in this film are as follows.

First, Michelle Pfeiffer is given an array of eye-catching, over-the-top hairstyles that must rank as her wildest hair ever. She also does a pretty good job at playing a disappointed mob member's wife, who turns into a grieving widow.

Some supporting actors make for some pleasant decoration as well. Unconventional beauty Joan Cusack has a small role as a mafia wife. Hard-ass looking Charles Napier, who would be one of Lecter's prison escape victims in SOTL, plays a funky, and colorful hairdresser. Tracey Walter as Mr. Chicken Lickin' continues to display his fine-tuned idiosyncracies.

The central romance between Modine, and Pfeiffer works in an offbeat manner, if not being among the most outright romantic films ever.

Another interesting element, is that Q Lazarus' "Goodbye Horses" is playing in the background of one of the date scenes. A song which took on a whole new world of associations when it was presented 3 years later in The Silence of the Lambs as Buffalo Bill's drag music.

Finally, the low-key villain played by Dean Stockwell, is exceedingly creepy, slimy, and seemingly void of any joy, or pleasure.