Smithereens

Punk as attitude: all it takes to embody the ethos is a little selfishness and a lot of confidence, with perhaps a touch of amorality (or amoral posturing, at least). Susan Berman shoulders a great deal of the film's appeal, turning her obnoxious lead character into somebody worth caring about, despite her willfully noxious behavior. That, plus a lived-in feel for the NY scene and a slick Feelies score, are more than enough.

If Jim Jarmusch had spent more time listening to punk than jazz. An almost post-apocalyptic New York in the wake of the 70s, where something is dead but just hasn't stopped twitching yet.

I don't have the fortitude to be a punk. I couldn't sleep on a bare mattress and eat the single slice of pizza in my fridge.

Adding this to a VERY short list of punk movies that are actually good but when they nail the aesthetics and it feels authentic it will always hold a special place in my heart. Unsympathetic. Life is Fucked

in the upper echelons of female character studies. fuck movies about personal growth (ew), gimme more about pathetic manipulative poverty-stricken narcissists without the slightest possibility of ever changing or realising their dreams. the feelies did the soundtrack and they said it best: “you must be waiting for things to happen, expecting something to happen, but nothing ever happens/your voice raised in anger, who knows what you're after, you don't know what you're after”.

What kept me watching is the tension between finding Wren both utterly captivating and repulsive. With no discernable skill other than using people, Wren is a vessel of skepticism chasing acceptance without every having to reflect on why everyone in her life eventually turns on her. Smithereens is either a shot at the shallowness of hangers-on, punk rock, or entertainment in general; I don't know, maybe all three.

It's like if Radio On had a point. Pre-Ghost World irreverence with that sweet sweet drenching of proper 80s post-punk

Susan Seidelman began her career as one of America's most underappreciated directors with this one. A good drama that's totally unpretentious

sometimes we pretend me want to talk business when really we just want someone to buy us breakfast cute little flick, kinda like an early 80s nyc timecapsule the feelies rule

Susan Seidelman's debut feature plays a lot like neo-realism set in the early 80's New York punk scene ... like "Nights of Cabiria" in desolate 80's NYC. This Berman's film. It's a great performance as a fairly unlikeable person rendered likable by a sympathetic performance. Rinn and Hell are a lot more one-note, but they're hitting the right note.

One of those rare gems that faithfully capture a unique time and place and subculture for posterity. Seidelman caricatures just the right moments for humor, but otherwise the script is truthful and raw. Wren is a great character because her portrayal is thoroughly unflattering from beginning to end, but she still manages to squeeze sympathy out of the viewer in the end.