Street Smart Movie Review (1987)
A solid 1980s crime drama, Street Smart, about a reporter who falls in with a pimp and his prostitutes, levels up heavily because of its cast.
I had never heard of this film until a few months ago. I saw that someone else had watched it on Letterboxd and thought, a film with Christopher Reeve and Morgan Freeman? I have to see what that’s about. I have no idea what the reception was like when it was released, but I definitely have opinions about it now.
Street Smart is about Johnathan, a magazine reporter in New York City who lives with his girlfriend and is struggling to get noticed for his current stories. When he makes up a fictional pimp that he can interview, the magazine is intrigued and gives him the story. At the same time, a real pimp, Fast, who is on trial for murder (after a man died of a heart attack when Fast attacked him) is being fingered for being the mystery pimp the report is about. Fast’s lawyers decide that the two men might be able to help each other.
This is a well-put-together, well-paced thriller drama that I enjoyed. The script and story are good, but not necessarily anything to write home about – although the last half hour did surprise me, which isn’t easy to do. There is also some great music, including classics like “My Girl” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
The biggest asset that Street Smart has is its cast. Christopher Reeve is a grounded and slightly savvy reporter who tries to look into the nooks and crannies of New York to create any semblance of the story he’s trying to write. He is clearly handsome, but he’s also fairly likeable and I loved seeing him in this role. I only knew him as Superman before watching Deathtrap (so good!), so I’m glad to be expanding on his catalog.
Morgan Freeman is Fast, an intimidating man who manages his prostitutes, pays the hotel, and has a flunky driving him around and doing his business. It is clear that the neighborhood knows and respects him, but it’s only as the movie progresses that you see how fierce and scary he can be. I kept wondering, if Red had not gotten arrested for murder in Shawshank Redemption, is this who he could have been?
My one issue with the movie (and this is an issue with many older films, so this is not unique), is that almost every person of color (there are only white people and black people in this film, no other diversity) is a hooker, a pimp, Fast’s girlfriend, or someone running the streets. There is a single black woman who is a news anchor, but other than that, everyone else is white. Kathy Baker (who is white, and great in this film) plays a prostitute, but that is the only major “street” player who isn’t black. It’s unfortunate and icky that films were typecast in this way, and I have to call attention to it because it exists.
Otherwise, though, Street Smart is a strong film that is enjoyable and will keep you on your toes a bit. Christopher Reeve and Morgan Freeman are both great, and it’s a treat to watch them work together.
Runtime: 96 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi and PlutoTv, To rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
