Madonna: Movie Star?

Madonna has always made all the right music choices, but as an actress.....

Madonna is the greatest music video star the world has ever seen. Her videos are imaginative, sexy and always entertaining. Even when I do not care for her songs I still find her videos captivating. She is in awe of Hollywood’s past and has borrowed elements from classic films in some of her videos like Express Yourself and Material Girl. Her songs Vogue and Hollywood are homages to tinsel town. With such a fascination with movies and being so successful in music videos, you would think Madonna could easily make the transition to film actress.

Madonna’s first notable screen appearance was a small part as a night club singer in Vision Quest (1985). That same year she hit the screen in a big way with Desperately Seeking Susan. She plays a tough, sexy bohemian. It suited her image of the time and helped launch her career into the stratosphere. On screen she is the envy of a bored housewife who wants to be like her. In real life, Madonna wannabe’s were sprouting up faster than dandelions in an unkept yard. The movie paralleled her career. It was the perfect movie for Madonna to make at that time.

Her choice in films sank dramatically after that. Her next film was the abysmal Shanghai Surprise (1986). She co-starred with Sean Penn. The movie was an even bigger disaster than her marriage to Penn. In 1987 she returned to her tough but sexy street girl image in Who’s That Girl. Madonna plays a Betty Boop type excon. Her lack of comic timing is made all to clear.

After a brief sabbatical from film and a stop on Broadway, Madonna made 1990's Dick Tracy. Here Madonna proved that she could at least add to a movie if not carry one. Dick Tracy also gave Madonna her most famous piece of movie dialogue, “I know how you feel. You don't know if you want to hit me or kiss me. I get a lot of that.”

In 1992 Madonna took a supporting role in the successful League of Their Own. However, she missed stepped again the following year when she attempted to carry the movie Body of Evidence. Madonna is unconvincing and it is only notable for her nude scenes and the attempted kinky sex. Doing it on shards of glass?.

After many more forgettable films and roles Madonna starred in Evita (1996). Having a blonde hair dyed wannabe movie star that captured the worlds imagination playing the role of a blonde hair dyed wannabe movie star that captured the worlds imagination would seem to be great casting. It would have been great casting had Madonna been at least ten years younger and not pregnant. She is obviously hiding her pregnancy in many scenes and is never convincing as a teenager. Still, she does some of her best work here. This is probably due to the fact that she does more singing and performing than actual acting.

Never shy on controversy, Madonna made The Next Best Thing in 2000. She plays a single mother who has a child with her gay best friend. The movie could have raised some political and social conversation but it made such a small impact at theaters that it never really mattered. Co-star Rupert Everet ended up stealing the film out from under her anyway.

In 2002 she worked with her director husband Guy Ritchie on Swept Away. Madonna plays a completely unlikable character whose ridiculous transformation to nice person is utterly laughable. The film is so bad it is nearly unwatchable. That same year she did a cameo in Pierce Brosnan’s worst outing as James Bond, Die Another Day. Sometimes I think the movie fates are working against Madonna.

Madonna has one of the most amazing images. She really is old school when it comes to celebrity. She has as strong and cemented an image as John Wayne. However, it limits her to the roles she can play. Could John Wayne play a hair dresser? Can Madonna play a holocaust victim? Madonna is Madonna in every movie she acts in. She is bigger than her roles and thus whenever we see Madonna on screen we only see Madonna and not her character. Perhaps her next role will work for her. She is lending her voice to the animated film Arthur and the Invisibles due out in 2007.

Madonna is so amazing in her music videos that perhaps she should stick to what she does best and make an all out musical with songs she has written. It worked well for her in the documentary Truth or Dare. Madonna’s best work is when she plays someone as close to her image as possible such as in Desperately Seeking Susan and Evita. Madonna’s greatest asset is her own image. She should definitely make another movie where she plays herself, or at least the screen image of herself.