Smithereens

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Smithereens

R

Released Nov 19, 1982

1h 30m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

100%

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10 Reviews

58%

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500+ Ratings

Wild teen Wren (Susan Berman) trades New Jersey for New York City, where she hopes to join what's left of the punk rock culture. She spends time hanging out with Paul (Brad Rinn), another young city transplant, but he's too safe for Wren's tastes, which run to narcissistic rockers. She finds one of these in Eric (Richard Hell), who's about to cut a record in Los Angeles. Before long, Wren is planning to accompany Eric when he heads west, but it's soon clear she's put trust in the wrong person.

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Steve Macfarlane

Slant Magazine

It's as unsparing a sketch of twentysomething life in New York City as American independent cinema has yet offered.

Jul 27, 2016

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A spirited mix of indie grit and DIY aesthetics.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 6, 2021

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Amelie Lasker

FF2 Media

A punk classic, with a soundtrack that includes the Feelies and Richard Hell & the Voidoids. If anything, Wren's failures make it even more punk: she's following a city, a scene, and a dream -- no matter how desperate she becomes.

Feb 25, 2021

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Tomas Trussow

The Lonely Film Critic

Despite being a downer of a story, Smithereens casts a beguiling spell as an everlasting record of the shifting punk scene in America.

Rated: 3.5/5

May 7, 2019

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Sean Mulvihill

FanboyNation.com

Smithereens is an unflinching look at a moment in time that is now looked at with rose-colored glasses.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 29, 2018

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Christopher Machell

CineVue

Wren's shallow cynicism and willingness to exploit others ultimately exposes her own vulnerability. Deeply unlikable, she remains sympathetic, both perpetrator and victim of the meat grinder that is the city.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 7, 2018

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Mason M

Smithereens is definitely a gritty and low production look at New York City, and many of the characters aren't all too likable, but it still remains to be a great film. One of this films main strengths was its wonderful soundtrack, which suits the film perfectly. And even though nothing much really happens here, the film still manages to contain plenty of laughs through its kooky characters, and has a surprising amount of intellectual and poetic themes in the moments between. Smithereens may be a very small picture, but it still succeeded to keep me entertained and invested in its world.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/19/25

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Dollar B

I just finished reading Susan Seidelman's new book and was curious to see her first movie having been a modest fan of Desperately Seeking Susan. Woefully, I'd have to say that was 90 minutes of my life I'd like to get back. The protagonist is a most unsympathetic character. I kept rooting for somebody to beat the crap out of her. The plot is thin and predictable. The music is awful. The drummer speeds up every track. This is Amateur Hour all the way. Just the worst. Not even campy. No fun in cringing at how bad this movie is although in spots, the acting is almost laughable - but not quite.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

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Steve D

Too slow to really engage.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/10/23

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Audience Member

Some of the acting is fairly amateur and it's story is lacking the coherence it needs to really work but this is a fun enough and energetic punk rocker tale from the 80s.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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s r

Some great clips of early punk culture, but the plot was so simple and the direction so poor that I struggled to stay interested.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

A specific moment in NYC history, captures both time and place that doesn't exist any more. I had such a soft spot for Brad Rijn's "Paul", he was a really great guy. Too bad Wren couldn't see it, but that is part of the paradox, girls never want nice guys until they have already had their fun and by then it's too late.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Susan Seidelman

Director

Susan Berman

Wren

Richard Hell

Eric

Brad Rinn

Paul

Nada Despotovich

Cecile

Roger Jett

Billy (Eric's Roommate)

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Synopsis

Wild teen Wren (Susan Berman) trades New Jersey for New York City, where she hopes to join what's left of the punk rock culture. She spends time hanging out with Paul (Brad Rinn), another young city transplant, but he's too safe for Wren's tastes, which run to narcissistic rockers. She finds one of these in Eric (Richard Hell), who's about to cut a record in Los Angeles. Before long, Wren is planning to accompany Eric when he heads west, but it's soon clear she's put trust in the wrong person.

Director: Susan Seidelman
Producer: Susan Seidelman
Screenwriter: Ron Nyswaner, Peter Askin
Production Co: Domestic Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 1982, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017
Runtime: 1h 30m

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