Something Wild (1986) is a comedy film directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Melanie Griffith, Jeff Daniels, and Ray Liotta.
Charlie Driggs (Daniels) is a milquetoast businessman (just made Vice President) who runs into Lulu (Griffith), a free-spirited and troubled woman. They soon make a stop at a New Jersey motel, and even though Charlie is married, he goes along with Lulu on her road trip for adventure.
Things take a wild turn when Lulu takes Charlie to her hometown in Pennsylvania (and finds out her real name is Audrey), and she reunites with her estranged, ex-con husband, Ray (Liotta).
Tropes:
- Anti-Hero: When we first meet Charlie, it looks like he’s a bored husband ready for a quick fling with an attractive woman. But he actually is single because his wife left him 9 months ago.
- Arc Words: Remember, no matter what, it's better to be a live dog than a dead lion.
- Ax-Crazy: Ray.
- Big Bad: Ray, obviously. Not only is he a low level thief that robs convenience stores, but he also is an abusive, would-be rapist.
- Black Bra and Panties: Lulu sports some when she takes Charlie to the motel.
- Black Sheep: Lulu grew up in a strait-laced family, and although she loves her mother very much, she doesn’t quite fit in.
- Book Ends: Charlie and Lulu meet at a greasy spoon and find each other there again.
- Cardboard Box of Unemployment: Charlie gives up his high-powered job because he realized his dissatisfaction.
- Cerebus Syndrome: The movie is a quirky comedy at first. Than Ray shows up and causes the tone of the film to shift dramatically.
- Chained to a Bed: Lulu lures Charlie into being handcuffed to a bed, then makes him call his place of work and tell them he's taking the rest of the day while she's sexually stimulating him.
- Class Reunion: Lulu takes Charlie to her high school reunion and they pose as a married couple with two kids. Although Lulu has been in control for most of the movie, as soon as she arrives for the reunion, her control unravels.
- Cover Identity Anomaly: Lulu is quick to create lies for her mother, and Charlie (as Lulu discovers) isn’t so bad himself. But once at the reunion, Lulu can’t think of two fake children’s names for her cover story. But Charlie is quick to back her up.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass / Grew a Spine: The occasionally spineless Charlie saves Audrey from Ray because not only is he in love with her, but he knows she’s unwillingly trapped.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: It’s made clear that Lulu’s mother wasn’t pleased with her marrying Ray.
- Double Entendre:Lulu: I was just admiring your bike.Police officer: Oh, do you like motorcycles?Lulu: No, I just like big things between my legs.
- The Dying Walk: After pulling himself off the knife in Charlie's hands, Ray walks unsteadily away. The film then cuts to the aftermath where Ray is being taken away in a coroner's body bag.
- '80s Hair: Lulu’s blonde hair is very The '80s.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: When Lulu makes it to her hometown, she takes off her cheap black wig and is an innocent-looking blonde.
- Faux Affably Evil: Ray at first. Its clear fairly early on that he's up to no good, but he did seem to genuinely like Charlie and want to be his friend. It was all an act.
- First-Name Basis: Charlie reads the name tag of every service industry worker he meets and uses their names when he speaks to them. A gas station attendant flips the script on him when he notices Charlie’s still wearing his name tag from Audrey’s reunion.
- Genre Shift: Tying with Halfway Plot Switch where it smoothly goes from a wacky rom com to a dark thriller then ends on a lighter note again.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Ray. When Charlie saves Lulu and takes her to his home, Ray follows them and nearly kills both of them.
- Happily Married: Charlie and Lulu pretend to be married for the sake of her mother and her high school reunion.
- Halfway Plot Switch: Starts off like it's going to be a wacky romantic comedy, but then takes a dark turn halfway through when Lulu's ex-con husband shows up.
- Handy Cuffs: The cuffs Lulu used for sex at the motel (and later a hilarious accessory for Charlie) is used by Ray to trap him in the sink. Charlie then uses it on Ray to almost choke him to death.
- Icy Blue Eyes: Ray’s, given that he’s a heartless bastard and has a streak of crazy in him.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: How Ray meets his end, running at Charlie and running right into the big knife in Charlie's hands.
- Kick the Dog: Ray dumps Irene when he wants to get Charlie and Lulu alone.
- LeitMotif: The obvious but oh-so catchy, “Wild Thing” by The Troggs.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Deconstructed: At the first half of the film, Lulu is very much this trope, but she eventually shows more depth with her rather violent and disturbing relationship with Ray.
- Mood Whiplash: What seems like the road trip of adultery turns darker when Ray essentially kidnaps Lulu and goes into a rage when Charlie saves her from him.
- Oh, Crap!: When Ray realizes that Charlie has outwitted him and saves Lulu from him.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Charlie, (he’s a Vice President), but he quickly loses the sharpness for a cheaper suit, and then completely with his “Virginia is for Lovers” T-shirt and shorts.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: When Lulu/Audrey takes off her wig and wears an old dress from prom, Charlie is impressed with the transformation.
- Trashcan Bonfire: The sleazy motel where Ray takes Audrey and Charlie, after kidnapping them, is marked as being sleazy by the trashcan bonfire out front.
- Uptight Loves Wild: The darker comedic take on the trope.
- A Wild Rapper Appears!: When leaving the gas station, a group of young rappers are riffing.
