Shanghai Surprise

A very good retro adventure story set in the period from 1937 to 1938 that reflects on the then-married couple of Madonna and Sean Penn. From today's point of view, the raspberry-anti-appreciation of the time is quite ridiculous. Also, considering the fact that this is Madonna's first major serious film, it makes the entire thing even better. Although it may not have looked the best at the beginning, during the first half the necessary amount of the main characters acting in concert was present, the plot became more dramatic, the jokes had more spark, and there was also some imaginative eroticism. I thus have no problem ranking Shanghai Surprise among the pleasant contemporaries of its genre. It is worth noting that Madonna did not let herself be discouraged and literally found herself in retro films and thus became one of the most prominent personalities drawing from the glamour era. Other good to excellent films attest to this: Bloodhounds of Broadway, Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own, Shadows and Fog, Evita, and W. E. Those who know Madonna's musical career take this trait of hers for granted. Others can only be pleasantly surprised. And who co-produced the film, made a cameo, and is responsible for the music? George Harrison. (08.02.2009)