Smooth Talk

Let's face it, puberty sucks! Especially for young women. One of the best movies to capture this time in life in a way that doesn't talk down to it's audience is 1985's Smooth Talk.

Based on the short story Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates, whose work was the voice for many young women, much like S.E. Hinton's writing spoke to young men. Smooth Talk features a young Laura Dern as a fifteen year old who's in too much of a hurry to grow up, much to the disapproval of her mother, Mary Kay Place. Dern catches the eye of a much older man, Treat Williams, which both excites and terrifies her. Things take a dark turn when Williams pays Dern a visit while her parents are away.

This is a terrific coming of age story with great performances from both leads, especially Williams in an creepy yet charming, over the top performance. I personally think that Williams might be a figment of Dern's imagination, as well some of the other male characters.Other than Dern's father, Levon Helm, you never get a good look at the male faces. They are either covered with sunglasses, blocked by a radio or door, or just out of focus. I think even though she is curious, that her dad is still the only man she trusts. Also, they hint that her mom might have had a wild past and I think she might conjure up these men in her head so she doesn't turn out like her mom. Also, judging from her wall decor in her room, she is obsessed with James Dean, which Williams' character seems to try and embody. In her head she might see this as the perfect man. Just a thought.