Review of Something Wild (1986) by Justin C — 15 May 2011

This feels like a romantic comedy on meth, two Red Bulls, and a quadruple shot expresso. I first heard about this film during a discussion my stepfather and his brother were having, and when it was recently released as part of my beloved "Criterion Collection" I decided it was finally time to check it out.

And WOW, what a good decision that was. This movie picks up literally within seconds of starting and remains highly energetic for the entire running time. The very well-executed performance by Jeff Daniels as an initially uptight businessman who lets loose when the also excellent Melanie Griffith's over-the-edge femme encounters him.

Daniels and Griffith have terrific chemistry almost immediately; I have never understood the love thats showered on Melanie Griffith, but at least with this film, I get it. She is clearly unbalanced, but there is still an allure to her wild but clearly wounded performance that makes her engaging.

And Daniels made a career out of great performances in quirky films; it continues with this great Jonathan Demme film. Also a cameo from the always zany John Waters? A delightful bonus.