AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

videorama-759-859391 It's great when an actor gives such an electric and worthy performance in a not so great film or one of small stature. I'm not saying this movie's bad. It's just not as good as what of could of been, if a bit more care and meat went into the plotting of story, which to say I really liked, putting a spin on these kind of journalist drama's. Near it's climax especially, is where the story wasn't handled well, where that part was is over too quickly, despite an climactic moment, an unforeseen fate for one, that did make sense, from the other party that wrapped the film up. I really thought that section was weak, and there are a couple of other forgettably weak moments, that don't spark. Many actors playing pimps, put on the macho "what have you" act. With Frreman, it was vet natural, and much more realistic, I really wanted to know more about, as he's not your usual pimp, but boy, he radiates some real menace. Supposedly based on a true article (well you know) journalist Reeve, average here, pressed for a deadline, resorts to making up a story of a pimp, as researching parties aren't that cooperative, and Reeve doesn't want to be out of a job, either. When his faux article on a fictional pimp, conflicts with another pimp being charged for manslaughter, (I mean, what are the chances really?) Reeve finds himself in hot water, playing hardball, with prosecutors, all so ready to take pimp, Leo Small, aka: Fast Eddy (Freeman) down. There's a great dilemma/situation of story here as in Reeve's impasse, which intensifies some. Manslaughter is a son of bitch, where an early scene has Freeman, trying to stop a perverted sicko, beating up on a ho, where one swift kick, puts the old's guys ticker out, so really Eddy has copped a bad serve. But manslaughter is manslaughter, and like the rough, dangerously and manipulative pimp with a charming facade, Eddy is, he's as that prosecutor describes, "better off the street and behind bars". In short, he's menace. Reeve in his own mind, eventually comes around to that analysis as well. I kind of had the feeling the story was losing it's way or a bit too vague in it's telling of this tale, as though not enough discipline was given to it. Again though, as it has done many times before, I really found it hard to believe the chances of this coincidence happening as it just rides on too thin ice. Besides Freeman, Kathy Baker as the hot battered prostitute was a notable standout too, where Mimi Rodgers an actress in demand a lot, and always delivers, was very strong as Reeve's girlfriend. It was a pity, Reeve couldn't of carried his weight as well. Though in it's B grade offering, Street Smart is quite absorbing in it's story and on it's first watch, without Freeman and Bates, turning in great performances, giving life to a kind of flat running film, this would of sunk bad.

bhurstgent If only Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Jon Voight, or maybe Pater Falk or Robert Blake, or even Robert Redford played that part, it would have been much better. Reeve was weak, and did not deliver what was needed. AND it needed a good soundtrack, something like shaft. There is also some bad editing and direction. What is amazing is the locations. New York has changed so much and so fast, it's really great to see the street scenes I forgot, especially when SOHO was still somewhat not overcrowded. And many interior shots of the run down buildings are just great. What they missed was fitting in a few landmarks, and the fulton fish market, of course. Still, Reeve was good for the comic strip Superman portrayal, but I have never seen him do anything worthy of praise. He had looks, and was well rewarded for that.

Lechuguilla Most viewers give their applause to Morgan Freeman for his performance as a Manhattan street pimp named "Fast Black". But the main note of interest to me in this film is the performance of Kathy Baker as a sympathetic hooker named "Punchy". The story is set entirely in Manhattan, and the main character is a magazine writer named Jonathan (Christopher Reeve). He unwittingly gets involved in a court case involving Fast Black, when he writes a fictional story that everyone assumes to be true.Except for Punchy, none of the characters are particularly interesting. They seem two-dimensional and rather shallow. The plot's pace, by today's standards, is somewhat slow. Scenes involve long camera "takes", and the script is heavy on dialogue. Color cinematography is adequate.With its grimy, dirty urban setting, its tawdry characters, and its slow pace, "Street Smart" reminds me a little of "The Panic In Needle Park" (1971), not really surprising since both films were directed by the same man, Jerry Schatzberg.To its credit, the story in "Street Smart" does address a legal issue faced by contemporary writers. How does a writer convince a court that the writer's "notes" about an article don't exist, when in fact they don't? I guess the writer needs to be aware of all contingencies, especially a high-profile writer like Jonathan who invents characters and stories and then tries to pass them off as non-fiction.While this film may be entertaining and/or informative to some viewers, it just doesn't work for me, aside from the performance of Kathy Baker, mostly because I just couldn't get interested in the film's characters or their tawdry drama.

buby1987 A lot of 80's movies glorified the American Dream of becoming a millionaire. It was the age of Reagan, and greed was good. The Secret of My Success is the ultimate cultural artifact of this era -- MJ Fox starts out in the mail room, cons his way into the upper ranks, and gets it all without any serious repercussions. Although it is all played for laughs, the movie asks you to root for this guy who is basically unprincipled and greedy.Almost as a rebuke, in early 1987 Street Smart arrived. It is the flip side of Secret of My Success. Christopher Reeve plays a journalist who fabricates a story about a pimp, and he becomes the toast of the town. But there are very serious consequences to his actions. The dream of attaining success by any means necessary is really a nightmare.I disagree with a lot of posters who say that the ending doesn't work. In fact, I think it is brilliant. Reeve's character has attained notoriety by exploiting Fast Black (and by extension, the whole subculture that keeps Fast Black in business). In the end, Reeve manipulates events so that Fast Black gets killed, and one of Fast Black's minions gets busted. Reeve uses all of this carnage as fodder for his "Street Smart" TV segments. Once again, he uses a lie to gain the upper hand -- he has gone from print journalism to tabloid TV.Reeve originally entered the world of Fast Black out of desperation, to keep his job at a magazine. One lie begets another and another, until there is plenty of collateral damage -- the prostitute gets killed, Reeve's wife gets stabbed, Fast Black ends up dead. None of these events would have occurred if Reeve hadn't told that first lie.There is also the parallel between journalism and prostitution. Reeve is just as bad as Fast Black, but he covers his tracks better, and he has a reputable facade. Reeve's journalistic exploits not only have ruined lives but ended them.If you look at Reeve's character objectively, he is not really the good guy. He has broken the law and not only gotten away with it, but he's profited from it as well. Rather than a prison term, he gets promoted.Reeve's image as a nice guy makes the character even creepier -- after all, he sleeps with a prostitute and exposes his wife to danger at a predominantly black bar. Reeve's character seems like a clean-cut yuppie, but deep down he is corrupt and devoid of morals.