DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN

Roberta Glass, an unfulfilled housewife from Fort Lee, New Jersey, is fascinated by the messages between lovers Susan Thomas and Jim Dandy in the personals section of a New York City tabloid. She is particularly drawn to Jim's ad for Susan with the headline "Desperately Seeking Susan", which proposes a rendezvous in Battery Park.

Meanwhile, in an Atlantic City hotel, the itinerant Susan reads the personals section after a tryst with mobster Bruce Meeker. She steals a pair of ornate Egyptian earrings from his coat before departing. The sinister Wayne Nolan notices Susan's embellished tuxedo jacket as she leaves. Arriving in New York City, Susan dons one of the earrings and stashes the other in her suitcase in a Port Authority locker. She asks to stay with her friend Crystal, a magician's assistant at the Magic Club, and learns that Meeker was killed at the hotel.

Hoping to spot the lovers, Roberta goes to Battery Park and sees Jim reunite with Susan before leaving with his band for Buffalo. Later, she follows Susan to a vintage store and watches her trade in her jacket before losing sight of her. Roberta buys the jacket and finds Susan's locker key in its pocket. She posts another "Desperately Seeking Susan" ad to meet with Susan and return the key. Meanwhile, Jim becomes concerned about the ad and Susan's connection to Meeker's death. He asks his best friend Dez to check on her.

Waiting for Susan at Battery Park and wearing her jacket, Roberta is accosted by Nolan, who mistakes her for Susan as she is blonde and wearing the distinctive jacket. Susan spots Roberta, but cannot reach her as police arrest her for not paying her taxi fare. Dez arrives on a moped and rescues Roberta, who falls and hits her head, causing her to lose her memory and her bag. He believes she is Susan and finds the locker key, taking her to the Port Authority to collect Susan's suitcase. There, Roberta finds the other earring, and Dez offers her the couch at his apartment for one night. When they arrive, they find Dez's ex-girlfriend, Victoria, and her new partner taking most of the apartment items, leaving him with practically nothing, including no couch.

Believing she is Susan, Roberta retraces Susan's steps with Nolan in pursuit. She and Dez attempt to have breakfast at a diner, where she is mistaken for Susan because of the jacket she is wearing. She and Dez are physically ejected from the diner, but Nolan picks up a postcard for the Magic Club she drops. Roberta eventually arrives at the Magic Club, narrowly missing Susan who has been released from jail and discovered her suitcase is gone. Roberta is then hired as Crystal's replacement. After her disastrous first performance, Nolan attacks her, demanding the earrings. He escapes as the police arrive. Roberta hits her head again, this time regaining her memory. However, she is mistaken for a prostitute and arrested.

Meanwhile, Roberta's husband Gary, who is revealed to be in the midst of a casual affair, searches for her. He finds his way to the vintage store and is given Susan's number. She believes that Roberta and the man she glimpsed with her at Battery Park (Nolan) are connected to Meeker's death and want to frame her. Susan arranges to meet Gary at a nightclub and accompanies him home, where they get high. Roberta calls from jail, but hangs up when Susan and Gary answer. After calling Dez to bail her out, they discover his apartment has been ransacked by Nolan. Roberta and Dez end up sleeping together, with Dez believing he is sleeping with his best friend's girl.

At Gary's house, Susan sees a television report about Meeker and Nolan stealing the earrings, which once belonged to Nefertiti. She realizes the truth about Roberta from her diary and posts an ad to meet her at the Magic Club. Dez attacks an intruder in his apartment who turns out to be Jim. He confesses to him about his relationship with "Susan" as Roberta slips away. She reads the ad, as do Jim and Dez. They arrive at the Magic Club along with Gary, his sister Leslie, and Nolan.

During her magic act, Roberta recognizes Nolan, who escapes backstage. Dez leaves as Roberta tries to explain the events of her disappearance to Gary, finally voicing her unhappiness and ending their marriage. Nolan threatens Susan at gunpoint, but is knocked out by Roberta. Roberta and Susan finally meet each other for the first time. Later, Roberta finds Dez in his projection booth at the movie theater where he works. She introduces herself properly, and they kiss as Jim and Susan watch the film below. Roberta and Susan are celebrated as heroes in the newspaper, credited with returning the stolen earrings.