{"id":93073,"date":"2023-11-06T00:28:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T07:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93073"},"modified":"2023-12-30T14:37:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T21:37:49","slug":"smithereens-1982","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93073","title":{"rendered":"Smithereens (1982)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Everyone&#8217;s a little weird these days; it&#8217;s normal.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster-198x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-93074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster-198x300.png 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster-178x270.png 178w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Poster.png 619w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA self-serving, would-be singer (Susan Berman) in New York City pursues a punk musician (Richard Hell) while managing and manipulating interest from a van-owning artist (Brad Rinn).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Aspiring Stars<\/li>\n<li>Homeless<\/li>\n<li>New York City<\/li>\n<li>Punk Rock<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary notes that in this &#8220;impressive low-budget independent film directed by Susan Seidelman&#8221; &#8212; who leapt to fame a couple of years later with <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3947\"><em>Desperately Seeking Susan<\/em> (1985)<\/a> &#8212; the director more accurately portrays Greenwich Village as &#8220;realistically, an ugly, hellish, unfriendly place where offbeat characters are too stoned, crazy, and selfish to help out their kind.&#8221; He describes Susan Berman&#8217;s &#8220;young refugee from New Jersey&#8221; as a drifter\/grifter with &#8220;no money, no apartment, and no friends who will help her out&#8221; given that &#8220;most everyone has had enough of her grating personality, her lies (usually about needing no one), and her shameless taking advantage of anyone she thinks may help her.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-1024x612.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-1024x612.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking-452x270.png 452w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-Cooking.png 1102w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>She&#8217;s &#8220;forced to live in a van with a nice guy (Brad Rinn) from Montana but she keeps disappointing him with her disloyalty&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-1024x615.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-1024x615.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Rinn.png 1093w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212; and while &#8220;he wants her to go away with him&#8230; she&#8217;s planning on going to LA with a young singer (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Hell_and_the_Voidoids\">Richard Hell of the punk band, the Voidoids<\/a>) &#8212; not seeing the signs that Hell (who is broke) is using her as she uses everyone else.&#8221; Touch\u00e9. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested-451x270.png 451w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Interested.png 1104w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary writes that while &#8220;we keep expecting Berman to wise up so she can enjoy a little happiness &#8212; we could use a little relief as well&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;Seidelman won&#8217;t let her&#8221; since &#8220;she wants to draw an accurate portrait of the typical Village loser.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-1024x615.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-1024x615.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Berman.png 1096w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary points out &#8220;technically, the film is fairly polished &#8212; Seidelman composes her shots well, creating striking tableaux by situating her strangely dressed and coiffured characters in the frame with colorful props (Rinn&#8217;s van, for instance) and bizarrely designed or graffiti-colored walls.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-1024x607.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93076\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-1024x607.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereens-Graffiti.png 1099w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, while I appreciate the effort Seidelman put into her debut indie film &#8212; made on a shoestring, with plenty of support from local artists and ample shooting delays and challenges &#8212; I&#8217;m hard-pressed to see it as anything but an unbearable downer featuring an utterly unlikable protagonist. It may be realistic (it sure reads that way), but I struggled to make it through to the end. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good use of location shooting<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-1024x606.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-93077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-1024x606.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Smithereen-Location-Shooting.png 1103w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, unless you&#8217;re curious to see Seidelman&#8217;s debut. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0084698\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/smithereens\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/90574\/smithereens#articles-reviews\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1498smit.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Everyone&#8217;s a little weird these days; it&#8217;s normal.&#8221; Synopsis: A self-serving, would-be singer (Susan Berman) in New York City pursues a punk musician (Richard Hell) while managing and manipulating interest from a van-owning artist (Brad Rinn). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Aspiring Stars Homeless New York City Punk Rock Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: Peary notes that in this &#8220;impressive low-budget independent film directed by Susan Seidelman&#8221; &#8212; who leapt to fame a couple of years later with Desperately Seeking Susan&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=93073\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=93073"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94502,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93073\/revisions\/94502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}