RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Desperately Seeking Susan
Desperately Seeking Susan

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
88 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:24

Fresh:21

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.8/10

Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Rosanna Arquette is Roberta Glass, a bored New Jersey yuppie housewife who finds escapism from her mundane life in the New York personal ad exploits of a flighty bohemian named Susan (Madonna).... Rosanna Arquette is Roberta Glass, a bored New Jersey yuppie housewife who finds escapism from her mundane life in the New York personal ad exploits of a flighty bohemian named Susan (Madonna). When Roberta travels to the city to witness an ad-inspired meeting between Susan and her lover Jimmy, she bumps her head, loses her memory, and for all intents and purposes, becomes Susan, thanks to a case of mistaken identity. As a result, she is pursued by crooks and other shady characters through the funky East Village of the early '80's. Quinn is the confused film protectionist who stumbles into the role of Roberta/Susan's protector. Madonna, not quite a superstar when this was filmed, uses this small role to show the sort of charisma she would soon shower upon the world in larger doses. Steven Wright, Giancarlo Esposito, Richard Hell, Ann Magnuson, John Lurie, and Arto Lindsay also turn up in small roles in this screwball '80's love letter to the downtown scene. [More]

Starring: Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Mark Blum, Laurie Metcalf

Starring: Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Mark Blum, Laurie Metcalf, Aidan Quinn, John Turturro, Robert Joy, Timothy Carhart, Will Patton

Director: Susan Seidelman

Director: Susan Seidelman
Screenwriter: Leora Barish

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 13, 2000

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Desperately Seeking Susan

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/23/08
Channel 4 Film

Director Susan Seidelman guides her cast with a light, enthusiastic touch, never making more out of her frothy material than need be.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
05/23/08
TV Guide's Movie Guide

All of this is cause for consistent smiling and a few outright laughs, without ever building to complete comedy.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/23/08
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film acquires a pleasant, syncopated rhythm as it bounces from one unlikely event to another.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
05/23/08
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
07/29/07
Neil Cohen
Neil Cohen
Echo Magazine

Featuring the first (and only decent) screen performance by Madona, this charming comedy imposes the old fracical gimmick of amnesia on a hip and stylish East Village milieu.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
06/20/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Even if the plotting (a mistaken identity farce involving that old chestnut, amnesia brought on by a bump to the head) is square as a square peg. Madonna has never found a better fit than the role of Susan.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
11/07/05
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
08/24/05
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Offbeat Susan Seidelman comedy features funny Madonna and Arquette.

comment Comment
06/08/05
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com

It has its moments, and many of them involve the different kinds of special appeal that Arquette and Madonna are able to generate.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This has to be the most overrated movie of 1985.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
03/26/04
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

No review available.

comment Comment
08/22/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
08/22/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
08/04/03
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

No review available.

comment Comment
07/31/03
Nell Minow
Nell Minow
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Surprisingly boring and annoying '80s movie. Mistaken identity, blah. Nothing really funny happens.

comment Comment
07/14/03
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
About.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
01/30/03
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

No review available.

comment Comment
12/21/02
Dan Jardine
Dan Jardine
Apollo Guide
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

Latest News for Desperately Seeking Susan

February 15, 2006: Trailer Bulletin: Basic Instinct 2
We've been hearing about the possibility of a "Basic Instinct" sequel for several years now, and the thing's finally finished with and ready for release. It stars an... More...

April 19, 2005: Get Ready for Another Dose of "Basic Instinct"
You've heard it mentioned for years, but production is (finally) about to get underway on "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction." A follow-up to Paul Verhoeven's sexual... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…
19% 19% Transformers: Revenge …
55% 55% Orphan
43% 43% The Proposal
26% 26% Land of the Lost

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
98% 98% Up
88% 88% Ballast
67% 67% The Merry Gentleman
56% 56% Enlighten Up!
13% 13% Spread

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

60+ New Moon pics

60+ New Moon pics

You want Twilight images? We got 'em!

Transylmania

Transylmania

Red band trailer for the vampire comedy!

2012

2012

Major havoc in these new clips!

Salt trailer

Salt trailer

Angelina Jolie! Espionage! Check it out!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Can Avatar Make Money? Source: New York Times
72
  • Robert Pattinson Says Breaking Dawn Could Roll in Fall 2010 Source: Collider.com
18
  • Joe Johnston Talks The Wolfman Source: Ain't It Cool News
6
  • Jason Schwartzman Talks Scott Pilgrim Source: Collider.com
0
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
99
  • J.J. Abrams Producing Micronauts Movie? Source: Wall Street Journal
11
  • Peter Murphy Filming Twilight Saga: Eclipse Cameo Source: MTV
18
  • David Goyer Promises "Existential" Ghost Rider Sequel Source: MTV
164
  • Emmerich Plans 2012: The TV Series Source: Entertainment Weekly
21
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
42
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: George Clooney's Best Movies
92
  • Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But Disappoints
43
  • Ho-ho-horror! 10 Scary Christmas Movies
36
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
33
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Christmas Carol Tops, Precious Rocks
32
  • Friday Harvest: Prince of Persia, The Road, and more!
25
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • RT on DVD: Up, the Ultimate Watchmen Cut, and More
10
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
15
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
40
  • Michael Moore: The RT Interview
139
  • Andrea Arnold talks Fish Tank - RT Interview
4
  • Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
51
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Desperately Seeking Susan at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Worst Movie Biopics
Worst Movie Biopics External Link

Moviefone brings us 9 failed attempts at biographical films.

Top Cameron Crowe Moments
Top Cameron Crowe Moments External Link

TIME reminisces on the 10 most iconic moments from the films of Cameron Crowe.

November Films
November Films External Link

BuzzSugar wants to know which movies coming out this month you're most looking forward to.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club takes a look back at Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.