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Rating:  - It misses the entire point!
If you're a fan of Joyce Carol Oates' short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", on which this film was based, prepare to be utterly mystified as to how the filmmakers ended this. I guess the studio committee decided that it needed a happy ending, even if that meant diverging 180 degrees from the author's intent. With virtually none of the menacing attributes of the story's villain, Arnold Friend, Treat Williams just comes off as a goofy letch. The Ellie character is utterly superfluous, to the point that they forgot to include him in the anticlimactic ending altogether. Last time we see him, he's in Connie's room looking at her Led Zeppelin records. Focusing on the melodramatic relationship between Connie (Dern) and her mother (Place) rather than the sensual attraction/repulsion Connie has with Friend, the film reduces the psychological drama of the short story to a sappy morality play. The director chose to set this in the 80s (replete with a saccharin soundtrack that vacillates between James Taylor ditties, piano-tines noodling, and vacuous imitation hair metal and new-wave) rather than the 50s, which renders much of the text's conflict utterly moot. Yes, Connie is flirting with disaster in both versions, but in the short story she's breaking the taboos of 1950s repression; in the 80s she's just another Cyndi Lauper dress-alike who seems to get what she deserves. But then she doesn't. What on earth is the point here? The mall scene will just make you groan, and Levon Helm, cast as her father, appears to be auditioning for the lead in "Forrest Gump," so wooden is his delivery. The short story is a nuanced, suspenseful tale, rife with cryptic Biblical references and steeped in the tradition of rock and roll radio and its attendant "evils," two motifs that are completely ignored here. Arnold Friend, who is eventually revealed to be the Devil in the short story, is portrayed here as a cross between Dazed and Confused's Wooderson and Happy Days' The Fonz. It ain't pretty, and it's not scary. It's really not even interesting.
Rating: - More rocky than smooth
A coming-of-age movie about a teenage girl (Laura Dern) whose chief interest in life is getting it on with some guy. She goes parading all over town looking for likely prospects until she meets Treat Williams, who is much older. They spend a lot of time "smooth talking" each other seeing who will gain the upper hand. Dern gets her way and appears changed. I didn't find this movie very memorable. Dern did better work elsewhere.
Rating:  - Worth Going Back to--Better Than Most Contemporary Films
Laura Dern in her inaugural film presents
a fine portrait of innocence/adolescent
curiosity cast into a dangerous,
predatory world. Treat Williams isn't as
menacing as the character from the Joyce
Carole Oates short story. Truthfully,
the film isn't as frightening as the short
story, but it still manages to carry much
of the sense of threat, predation, and
psychological tension of the original.
The film title misses the boat--a real
throwaway title and a missed opportunity.
The story and film make an interesting
comparison/contrast study in the relative
strengths of literary and film narrative.
Rating:  - Excellent movie about growing up
This is a fantastic movie. I can't believe is finally out on DVD it was about time. This film is excellent from start to finish mainly due to the great performances from the cast. Laura Dern in one of her early roles shines in this great film. Treat Williams is fantastic as the mysterious older man who sweeps Connie off her feet. The music on this movie is great also especially James Taylor's top ten hit from 1977, "Handy Man". Now that this gem is finally on DVD you owe it to yourself to see this great movie and discover just how good "SMOOTH TALK" is.
Rating: - I can't believe there aren't more reviews
I hope every tween parent will show this movie to their daughter. In 1986 I and my friends were foolish and foolhardy. At the time we were breaking away from out parents and doing what Connie is in this movie. Realizing the power we had, being excited by that but at the same time not ready.
I laugh and Marvel at Treat Williams (Dr. Brown) as playing the scary older man who she meets and isn't quite ready for. He was scary!
The way the ending is done is scary as can be for I think even girls out of their teens. The director could have allowed us to see everything but instead she pulls back and lets the audience imagine. It is almost like the storywriters want you to think about it. Although you might be tempted to think Carla could do this or could do that, she is a teenager -- not bright enough to take action even when she knows how much trouble she is in. I am sure that is why Treat picks her. It isn't that she isn't bright, just not world weary and somewhat is shock at what is happening.
It is a highly recommended movie.
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