I had seen this film when it came out in 1987. I had liked it because it was light and funny. I hadn't seen it in a long time but my daughter wanted to see so I popped the DVD in and nothing has changed. I am fully aware that this film bombed and was ravaged by critics, but I can't deny that I like it! It is the only film that Madonna has acted in that I like.
It is a screwball comedy that's for sure. Madonna plays Nikki Finn, a convict that is getting out of prison on parole after 4 years that she was found guilty if killing her boyfriend. A wealthy man that has an interest in making sure she get on a bus to her hometown of Philadelphia after she gets out of prison. He asks his soon to be son in law to drive her to the bus station to make sure she gets on the bus. The son in law named Louden is a lawyer at his form and is played by Griffin Dunne. He also needs to.pick up a cougar that belongs to one of his clients. Once he gets to the prison to pick Nikki up she drives him crazy. She makes him let her drive his mother in law's Roles Royce and then ditches him in the hospital after he has an anxiety attack from her crazy driving. He later gets out and catches up to her in a bad neighborhood buying a gun. All he wants is to take her to the bus but she pleads with him help her clear her name by telling him she did not kill her boyfriend. She has key to a safe deposit box but needs to find a pump named Raul to get the bank name and box number. All of this is played as ridiculous screwball comedy. Though I have never thought that Madonna was a good actress she goes all out to play Nikki and it fits her persona. She does use a sort of annoying voice playing her but after a while it's actually endearing. The chemistry between Madonna and Dunne is also good. He of course plays the straight arrow nerdy guy that at first can't stand Nikki. They go around New York City to find the evidence to clear Nikki and she creates mess after mess for him. It's really funny how the two play off of each other. Well of course they end up falling in love.
It may not be a very good but I have seen much worse romantic comedies than this one. Also the soundtrack has some very good songs from Madonna, especially the title track. So it may be in the guilty pleasure category but I really enjoy this film.
Grade: B-
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