Review of Smithereens (1982) by Jenny G — 15 Jan 2011
I know this SEEMS like the kind of thing I would cream myself over right? Old school-New-York-LES-punk rock-Richard Hell-art-blah blah blah. But ultimately it was just kinda sorta okay. I think my main problem with it was that there weren't any characters I liked well enough to root for.
Wren was the sort of obnoxious girl who wants to be famous, but doesn't really seem to DO anything to be known for. I mean, she sort of messes with collage, but even this doesn't develop into anything--art piece, zine, mail art, nothing.
She's ultimately one of those people who seeks notoriety more for who she's sleeping with than what she does. Cue Richard Hell's character, the big flavor-of-the-month in the local punk rock scene whom she fawns over.
He's just the standard arrogant bad boy rocker. Not a terribly intriguing or memorable character. And the "sensitive" artist who lives in his van by the West Side Highway is just as bad in his own way.
He comes in to the film all but stalking her, and spends the rest of the film being pissy, controlling, and otherwise exhibiting every red flag for an abusive personality psychologists can muster. The audience is expected to see him as the "better" choice for Wren, but seriously, ditch both of them and get a dildo chica! I guess this movie does have a point to make since I've known people in real life like all of these characters (or at least in the case of the cliche bad boy rocker, attempting to appear like them.
) but since such kinds of people annoy me in real life, why would I want to spend time with them in a movie?
This review of Smithereens (1982) was written by Jenny G on 15 Jan 2011.
Smithereens has generally received positive reviews.
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