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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Smooth Talk (1986)

Rating: 2 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Teen and Not Heard

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Smooth Talk on DVD.

Based on a story by Joyce Carol Oates, Smooth Talk was one of the first films I ever saw that treated teen sexuality as a serious subject. It startled me to see the beautiful, awkward Connie Wyatt (Laura Dern) experimenting with her looks and feelings, hoping to be noticed, but shy about her appearance. The film's first hour is full of great little scenes of this nature, fully exploring this awkward character in various situations and featuring a great performance by Dern. But unfortunately the film's plot kicks in and a mysterious stranger who calls himself "A. Friend" (Treat Williams) turns up and intrigues her with his combination of raw sexual appeal and threatening menace. Williams' performance is too mannered, as if geared towards a 1950s juvenile delinquent film, and the film ends up grinding its gears, forcing events to turn into an even conclusion. Add to this a soundtrack full of James Taylor songs and you have mixed cues as to mood and period. Still, this film really got to me as a teenager, and I can't discredit it for that.

DVD Details: There are no real extras to speak of.

Starring: Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place, Treat Williams, Elizabeth Berridge, Levon Helm
Written by: Tom Cole, based on "Where Are You Going, What Are You Doing" by Joyce Carol Oates
Directed by: Joyce Chopra
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 92 minutes
Date: January 31, 2005