My review was written in December 1990 after watching the film on Reivaj video cassette.
"Smooth Talker" is a minor league thriller, suffering from weak scripting. Pic's best audience chances lie in the pay-cable arena.
Joe Guzaldo toplines as a tough-guy cop, recalling the chip-on-the-shoulder types of the film noir era. He's investigating, without much success, the serial killer of women working for a phone sex service.
Guzaldo's hung up on his ex-wife, newcomer Blair Weickgenant, who happens to be working in the district attorney's office on the same case. Her romance with defense attorney Peter Crombie merely slows down the film's pace.
Tow few suspects in Darrah Whitaker's screenplay presents a problem, making the killer's identity predictable about an hour before it's revealed. Ending is abrupt and of the "who cares?" variety.
Film's big plus is a nice musical score by Tony Roman setting the mood. This type of picture about killing phone sex girls has already been done to death but is a staple of late night slots on cable. Both leads Guzaldo and Weickgenant show promise.
