The Movie Room

Smithereens 1982, directed by Susan Sideman

Rating: 10/10

            The first time I saw this movie, I watched it three or four times within a week’s time. It’s been years since then, but this is still one of my favorite movies to just put in and become engrossed in.

            I love a romance about someone caught between two potential partners that represent different geographic locations (see also Brooklyn, Past Lives, and Miss Saigon), and while this one is less international than those examples, it is still perhaps my favorite of this highly specific genre. At the center of the triangle, Susan Berman’s Wren is spectacular. If this movie was made now, I can see her becoming a manic pixie dream girl (with perhaps the main character role being shifted to Brad Rinn’s character) but by having her be the main character who we see go about her life and do things not related to romance, she evades this future stereotype. We also see all her faults as faults instead of quirks; instead of laughing about her being kicked out of her apartment after not paying rent for four months, we feel for her, but we recognize that it’s not a cutesy kind of eviction. Rinn’s romantic option is the typical nicer option for her, but we also can see from the start why he is not a good match for her. He may be sweet, but he already has a photograph of his girlfriend back home in his van, so he is not some wholesome virgin or even necessarily single. His biggest relationship red flag here though is that he just doesn’t belong in the city that Wren loves so much. Unfortunately for Wren, her other romantic interest, played by Richard Hell is very much part of the New York City landscape. As a New Jersey transplant, being with Hell would solidify Wren’s connection to her favorite city, but he is already married and emotionally distant. This triangle may not be as sweet and romantic as the ones in my other named examples, but it feels just so real and lived in.

            The film has many merits beyond just its narrative and acting. The use of 16 mm film gives it such a great look; it may not be unique, but it is perfectly fitting to this time and place and story. A lot of modern period pieces use way too sharp cinematography or needlessly grainy nonsense to portray the decline and fall of cultures, but the use of 16 mm film in the present moment to show the fading punk rock scene just works wonders, without being overly drab or nostalgic. Maybe my favorite aspect of the movie, though, is Glenn Mercer and Ben Million’s score. It is so propulsive and complements everything on screen so well. It also serves as a stark reminder of the musical lifestyle that Wren so wishes to be a part of. It might not be as hummable as the scores from classics like Jurassic Park or Lawrence of Arabia, but I might like it better.

            This is a great portrait of a moment of a culture in decline filmed in that exact moment with great performances from actors who embody that moment and with a score and cinematography that highlight the fall while showing its vibrancy. I think all this is why it speaks to me so thoroughly.