Street Smart 1987 720p BluRay x264-SADPANDA

In New York City, Jonathan Fisher (Christopher Reeve) is a reporter for the prestigious New York Journal magazine. Although Jonathan used to be the magazine's star reporter, his writing has not been up to par lately and his editor, Ted Avery (Andre Gregory), has been giving him bad assignments. When another reporter's story falls through at the last minute, Jonathan sees his chance to regain his status. He proposes a story about 24 hours in the life of a pimp. Ted lets him do the story, but gives him less than a week to complete it. Jonathan goes to Times Square to talk with prostitutes, but they refuse to help him. The next night, Jonathan convinces his girl friend, Alison Parker (Mimi Rogers), to pose as a prostitute, hoping she can get information, but one of the pimps threatens her life and Jonathan is forced to rescue her. With time running out, Jonathan fabricates a 2,000-word story about a rich pimp named "Tyrone" who dresses well, owns a condominium in Hawaii, controls many prostitutes, and has killed a man to protect them. Ted Avery loves the piece and makes it the cover story. Tyrone becomes the talk of the town, and Jonathan is a media sensation. Several other news outlets offer work, and Jonathan starts doing television reports for Channel 3 about the grittier aspects of the city in a segment titled "Street Smart." Meanwhile, a pimp named Leo Smalls, Jr. (Morgan Freeman) who goes by the name of "Fast Black," stops by a low-rent hotel to check on his women. Finding a john beating up one of his prostitutes, Fast Black kicks him several times in the chest, and the man dies from a heart attack. When police arrest Fast Black, the district attorney (Jay Patterson) charges him with second-degree murder. Fast Black's lawyer, Joel Davis (Frederick Rolf), tries to get the charge lowered to involuntary manslaughter, but the DA refuses. Nonetheless, Fast Black makes bail. His lawyer comes up with the idea that Jonathan Fisher's article was about Fast Black, due to the similarities between him and the "Tyrone" character, and that he can turn the trial into a constitutional confrontation about freedom of the press and a reporter protecting his sources. One of Fast Black's prostitutes, "Punchy" (Kathy Baker), chats up Jonathan and takes him to a hotel, where they have sex. Later, Punchy introduces Jonathan to Fast Black. The two hit it off well, but Fast Black comments that "Tyrone" seems unreal and could not survive for 20 minutes on the streets. Jonathan takes Fast Black and Punchy to a party at Ted Avery's Upper East Side apartment. The guests are fascinated by Fast Black, who claims he is "Tyrone." However, Jonathan's girl friend, Alison, who knows "Tyrone" is fictional, is uncomfortable with people making a fuss over the pimp. When they return home, Alison packs her bags and leaves, claiming she does not like what Jonathan has turned into. At Fast Black's trial, the judge (Ed Van Nuys) orders Jonathan to surrender his notes. When Jonathan refuses, the judge finds him in contempt of court and jails him. After several days, Jonathan is released on appeal, and Fast Black sends for him. The pimp instructs Jonathan to create the notes the court wants, but to indicate that the two of them were in Rockaway, on Long Island, on the day the man was killed. Jonathan balks at the idea, saying it would be conspiracy. Fast Black threatens Jonathan's loved one if he does not comply. The next day, Punchy shows Jonathan that Fast Black beat her up and advises him that others will be hurt unless Jonathan writes the notes. Jonathan meets with the magazine's lawyer, Art Sheffield (Michael J. Reynolds), and announces the entire story was fiction. They go to the judge, who disbelieves Jonathan and jails him again. When Punchy does not follow Fast Black's orders, he kills her. Later, Alison Parker is hospitalized after one of Fast Black's henchmen, Reggie (Erik King), stabs her in the stomach. When Jonathan is released from jail again, he meets with Fast Black. Under threat of immediate death, Jonathan promises to write the notes if the pimp will leave his friends alone. Soon, Fast Black is acquitted. A few days later, Jonathan exacts his revenge when he gives $200 to Darlene (Shari Hilton), one of Fast Black's prostitutes, and instructs her to give the money to the henchman Reggie. Jonathan videotapes the scene, then shows it to Reggie, with the warning that it could look like Reggie is going into business for himself. Reggie runs away and does not show up for work the next day. When Fast Black finds him, Reggie panics, believing his boss intends to kill him. He shoots Fast Black in the chest, killing him. As police arrest Reggie, Jonathan covers the story for the television news.