Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989) User Reviews

Terrible, and yet wonderful!

[pyotr-3 · 6/10 · 25 April 2003]

This film takes the word "quirky" to a whole new level. While it is a little dated now, due to advances in computers (and the fact that Rosalie's computer crimes would not likely happen today), it is such a monumentally freakish film that you just can't miss it.

How can you miss seeing the late Brad Davis in one of his most unlikely roles? And how can you miss seeing Judge Reinhold as a priest who keeps having to listen to Rosalie teling him of all her crimes? The mere spetacle of Germans in rural Arkansas is reason enough to see this fun little film. It has no big message, really, except poking fun of 1980's American consumerism, but the sheer wackiness of the family in this movie makes it a worthwhile diversion for a night when you could use a laugh.

A cult movie

[Levana · 7/10 · 22 February 1999]

Basically, the point of this movie is that everyone worships Marianne Sagebrecht, both the director and her fans. She's got enough charisma and personality to carry the movie on her own. Otherwise, all it's got is a thin plot with some very funny scenes; the direction inclines to pointlessly flashy camerawork. But who cares about inessentials?

The ultimate weird-groaner cult-classic movie

[therica · 1 April 2000]

This movie is one-of-a-kind.

Overall it's not outstanding, but it's a definite "must-see" for anyone who enjoys torturing themselves with cult-classic bizarre behavior and humor.

It's more of a wacky-bizarre than a psycho-bizarre. We've groaned our way through it several times and the title has become the enigma of "Oh no, don't make us watch that again!" However, it's painfully humorous and worth the time!

Nausea inducing

[lucy-19 · 1/10 · 16 April 1999]

Germans think smirking is funny (just like Americans think mumbling is sexy and that women with English accents are acting). I had to cross my eyes whenever the screen was filled yet again with a giant close-up of a smirking face. One of those 'housewife hacks corporate mainframe' tales where she defrauds a bank by tapping a few random keys on her home PC which is connected only to a power socket. The director obviously loves the rather large leading lady. Can't say I share his feelings. There's quite a funny bit when the entire family sit in front of the television chanting tonelessly along with the adverts. Apparently this review needs to be one line longer so here it is.

Weird, surreal...

[Chinesevil · 4/10 · 11 September 2021]

Weird, surreal, silly, bad acting and not very funny.

A wonderfully strange, fun movie

[eluminati36 · 8/10 · 12 August 2005]

For those who love Brad Davis, this is a must see movie. It has charm, humor, tenderness, and solid performances all around. It's really about how someone in over their heads takes the system for a ride, and even though some plot moments are somewhat hard to believe, it's a movie you'll love if you let yourself go and enjoy it, without worrying about reality, logic, or whether or not it could "really happen." Brad Davis is handsome and wonderfully clueless as the crop duster with failing eyesight, while Marianne Sagebrecht turns in another of her superb performances as his devoted, spendthrift German wife.

In my opinion, it's a cult classic with lots of fun quotable lines. My favorite: "I can't believe the difference."

Wonderful satire of banking systems and mindless consumerism

[katydidmail · 10/10 · 16 May 2010]

This movie is clearly a clever, subtle satire of banking systems. The tag line is the premise of the movie "When You're $100,000 In Debt, It's Your Problem. When You're $1,000,000 In Debt... It's The Bank's." Now, in 2010, we're seeing that if banks owe many billions of dollars, then it is the taxpayer's problem. Rosalie's problem has recently become a problem for all of us. This problem is not only limited to one country or banking system.

Rosalie is not a heroine, she is the personification of consumerism gone out-of-control, and a banking system that enables it. The movie really provides an underlying warning message. It should be required watching for anyone who wants to understand why things can easily go wrong in any banking system.

Although I first saw this movie in the early 1990s, I think it will make most sense to people now, in 2010!

Phenomenal

[gilinfiji · 9/10 · 14 March 2006]

A buddy of mine watched this for the first time (it was my second or third) and he captured it perfectly: "It's like 'the Addams Family' in Arkansas, without the creepiness." He was right. If you like movies with small casts, that are quirky, feature great cinematography and use subtle humor to open a window to an interesting little corner of the world, this film is for you. Percy Adlon also works this magic with "Bagdad Cafe" and "Salmonberries." The only disappointment was singer Jim Lauderdale not releasing the equally endearing country/reggae fusion end credits song, "Flyin' Back to Rosalie," an absolute gem. I liked this movie so much, I actually went out of my way while driving across Arkansas to visit the town of Stuttgart, see the Riceland Mill and see the museum, all places where the film was shot.

Starts off good but goes down hill

[increase1975 · 2 February 2003]

It was delightfully quirky for the first half hour or so, reminiscent of John Waters, without the grossness or the sex. But it got dull thereafter--never as funny as it should have been--and dwindled to an ending that was so non-climactic, they had to intersperse it between the credits so you'd know it was over. Too bad, because the first part showed a lot of promise. Still, worth seeing if you're in the mood.

Quirky, independent, subversive

[bmoore-13 · 10/10 · 24 October 2006]

I'm giving this film a "10" to improve the unfair "5" voters have given it; it's really around a 7 or 8. There is a real goofiness to this film, even a charm, that I've seen in few other movies. The characters are quirky, alright, but less stupid than just seriously deluded, living in their dreamworlds. Rosalie dances blissfully along throughout the film under the illusion that credit and buying things is the reason for existence. (Of course, this is precisely the design that corporate America has for us assenting, duped citizens.) But Percy Aldon, the director, does not hold contempt for Rosalie; in fact she remains likable to the end of the film, even as (perhaps because) she bilks her creditors repeatedly. (Warning: do not try this at home!) And, up to the end, she appears to get away with it. Is she crazy? No more than most Americans, as loaded down with debt as most of us are. Rosalie's husband, played by the late Brad Davis, is the goofiest of all; what strange brainwaves was he channeling when he acting this role? And Judge Reinhold is fun as Rosalie's befuddled priest. I can't think of too many films that deserve DVD reissue more than this one. One day we may all look back at this neglected film, as small and quirky as it is, and see it as prophetic, a major explication of our nation's debtor woes. But I hope I'm wrong, that we Americans suddenly begin to eschew debt, make it taboo, and wake up to smell the roses. As Wordsworth wrote, "The world is too much with us."

Strange Movie yet Wonderful

[michaeld2986 · 8/10 · 5 August 2010]

I'm giving this movie an 8 out of 10 vote. Anyone who loves Brad Davis should really check out this movie. He did a wonderful job in his role of "Liebling the strange and quirky crop duster from Stuttgart, AR. The movie is a bit slow in parts and trying to understand Marianne Sagebrecht's heavy German accent is difficult at times. However, I see the direction that Percy Adlon was going when he directed. The film's light humor and plot makes for delightful viewing as long as the viewer understands this is an indie film shot with a small budget. It's definitely worth watching. I'm not sure of any networks running the movie on cable but I did manage to obtain a VHS version of the movie for a relatively low price.