Smartass

Most of the time, movies that end up being mediocre will at least start strong and present a good premise, but fizzle out, lacking a reasonable ending. This movie does it backwards--the first act is a confusing mess, and the best parts are near the end. Joey King is the main character, and she is pretty grating--the lines they give her to try to make her seem jaded and streetwise are just cringe. In fact, I didn't like ANY of the characters. None of them are well written. I didn't quite understand her motivation either--why was she in this situation? I'd say this one is for the teen audience, but it's a little too messed up. Because the main character doesn't seem to take anything seriously, it's like they are making light of sex trafficking, gang wars, racism, and addiction. They main thing I enjoyed is how she got revenge on one of the characters that did something horrible to her. But since none of the comedy works, I don't see any reason to ever recommend it.

Fans of films like Love and a .45, Natural Born Killers, Killing Zoe, Spun, and those other niche crime thrillers will find quite a delight in this film. Characters are charmingly broken, quick witted, and often borderline sociopaths, but all with seemingly redeeming qualities that won't leave you feeling too guilty for identifying with them, even if just for a moment.

While the titular character often comes off as trying too hard in the role, and there are some snarky bits that feel somehow off, the film is a chaotic thrill ride with interesting characters and story. One part cautionary tale, one part ride-on-the-wild-side, there's enough here to keep just about any fan of the genre occupied.

This movie makes light of a completely insane and self destructive lifestyle centered around a 15 yr old girl that runs away from her single mom and brother. All her friends are junkies and HARD drug dealers. She takes the wrap for a needle her older guy friend had stashed and is then released on her own in the middle of the night. She almost gets gang raped, she smokes crack for the first time like it's no big deal, she has a pervert pleasure himself while giving her a ride, and then gets drugged and sold for $200 by someone posing as a nice guy to some man that looks around 50 yrs old.. and narrowly escapes that... I've lived and seen the dark side of the "life style" this film makes light of. It's not funny and it's not a subject to joke about. Pure deceptive trash that kids will see and think this "life style" is fun and cool. They'll find out it isn't after it's too late though. This movie could not send a worse message to "teens".

A Teen road move almost good as Superbad! Insane and nonsense. Just like life.

Joey King portrays a young, rebellious, reckless, and often humorously dimwitted teenager named Freddie on her quest to San Diego, California. However, along her journey, she encounters various strangers and situations often either turning violent, making her more vulnerable, or going everywhere.

Unfortunately, the storytelling and tone deliberately goes everywhere the moment audiences are randomly introduced to various subplots seemingly following the main focus with Freddie. It couldn't decide who to follow, what genres it wanted, what film it wanted to be, and give reasons to care.

There's genuine ideas ridiculously merged together that would've otherwise been another film with better writing. Freddie's story involves some humorous and heartfelt concepts but also strangely darkly humorous and horrifying scenarios with people being unhinged, homicidal, boldly prejudiced, and moronic.

As these stories involving drugs, mischief, and murder collide they're never fully utilized or find their purpose until it's nearly over. But by that time, audiences remain bewildered, unsatisfied, and pity the characters for their ineptness and the film's lackluster focus. It couldn't decide what to do or be long enough to underwhelm the experience.

"Smartass" wasn't smart enough to overshadow its half-witted writing.