a crucial part of the characters' way of life, it's carried too far; everyone here stays put a little longer than is believable, particularly Paul, who remains parked by the highway for what feels like weeks, with nothing to do but wait for Wren to appear." Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader wrote "Wren, in her self-delusion, manipulativeness, and superficiality, easily ranks as one of the most obnoxious characters in film history, and she exerts a strange fascination." Film critic Emanuel Levy wrote "Susan Seidelman's feature debut, the first American indie to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival, put New York's East Village sensibility onscreen by examining issues of identity, desire and self-fulfillment from a distinctly female perspective." Home media Before the Criterion Collection DVD/Blu-ray edition, it was released on VHS by Merlin Video in the UK. See also 1982 in music 1982 in film DIY culture References External links Smithereens: Breakfast at the Peppermint Lounge an essay by Rebecca Bengal at the Criterion Collection 1982 films 1982 drama films American independent films Films directed by Susan Seidelman Films set in New York City Films shot in New York City Punk films 1982 independent films 1982 directorial debut films New Wave 1980s English-language films 1980s American films