film

Something Wild (1986) begins as an offbeat romcom before veering into tense crime thriller territory. Directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme (Stop Making Sense, The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia), it features Jeff Daniels as mild-mannered businessman Charlie Driggs, who is swept into a spontaneous road trip by Melanie Griffith's unpredictable Lulu. Their carefree adventure gradually darkens with the arrival of Lulu's violent ex-husband Ray, played in career-defining style by Ray Liotta.

Demme juggles laughs, romance and menace with remarkable assurance, creating a film that constantly defies audience expectations. The shifting tone is matched by a diverse soundtrack that takes in new wave, reggae and world music and helps to establish a distinctive atmosphere. Initially overlooked, it has since been recognised as one of the defining American independent films of the 1980s.