Smithereens (1982)

Wren, a restless and ambitious young woman, hails from the dreary confines of New Jersey, a place she vehemently swears never to revisit. She is a starry-eyed punk music enthusiast, drawn like a moth to the vibrant, neon-infused chaos of Greenwich Village. Her dreams are grand, but her path to attaining them is shrouded in illusion. Her burning desire for fame drives her to latch onto anyone she perceives as a stepping stone to stardom, yet she does little to progress her own musical prowess. Her latest fixation is Eric, a locally acclaimed musician whose star shines in the grungy clubs of the Village. However, Eric is less interested in her musical passion and more in his own whims, using and discarding her without a second thought. Wren, in her relentless pursuit of fame, squanders her meager resources, teetering precariously on the brink of eviction. In the midst of her tumultuous existence, she crosses paths with Paul, a sincere and sensitive portrait artist from Montana. He lives a nomadic life, residing in his shabby, colorfully painted Econoline van, parked on the fringes of society where streetwalkers ply their trade. New York is merely a pit stop for him, a place from which he can drive away at any moment. Paul is smitten with Wren, but soon recognizes her exploitative tendencies. Even so, he can't resist her magnetic pull, always welcoming her back into his life despite her fleeting loyalties. Wren, oblivious to her own reflection in Eric's treatment of her, treats Paul the same way. Her desperate chase for fame takes a perilous turn when she decides her destiny is in Los Angeles. If only she could find a way to get there, she believes, her dreams of stardom would finally come true. As Wren navigates the gritty and volatile world of punk music, her relationships and choices reveal a misguided and abrasive pursuit of fortune, fame, and self-identity.

Smithereens is a drama movie featuring Susan Berman.

Smithereens is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Freevee, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, Shout! Factory TV and Tubi TV and it's also available on Criterion Channel and Max Amazon Channel.

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