My Review - "Smashed "my Rating 7/10
There are many movies made about the effects on families and individuals due to the disease of Addiction to Alcohol or Drugs . A great series I reviewed a while ago "Loudermilk" is just that but more in a Comedy and character sense which is fine we all need to laugh at our defects of character at times. Smashed is very different it's certainly not a comedy but it's not a tragedy either it just tells a very authentic and factual story of what can happen in a marriage or relationship when one party faces their demons and seeks recovery but the other doesn't. The whole dynamics change and the sick partner feels betrayed and confused seeing a totally different and foreign aspect to their partners character. Smashed was conceived by James Ponsoldt Director and co writer with Susan Burke after they had a conversation about things they had done while drunk. Some of the story's details were based on Burke's own experience; she was an alcoholic until she was 24 years old, when she started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Susan felt that her experiences with alcoholism had not been represented on film before, and so she decided to write about a young woman deciding to become sober.
Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead cast as Kate Hannah married to Charlie Hannah played by Aaron Paul are a nice young couple who obviously love each other but they love drinking alcohol more so that takes its toll on both their lives. Kate is a kindergarten teacher who after a night of drunken oblivion throws up in front of the class and her mortification is worse when Principal Barnes played by Megan Mullaley (Karen in Will and Grace) suggests she's pregnant and Kate decides to go along with that subterfuge to keep her job. Charlie ,Kate's drinking partner and husband obviously has had an enabling family who have provided them with a home and financed his drinking so that he can spend most of his time smashed. They're both a really nice affectionate well suited couple showing no overt violence If it wasn't for their Alcoholism they probably would have started a family and settled down to a happy contented life but as a saying I like goes "Two cripples don't do a pretty bridal waltz." Kate is " 12 Stepped" introduced into recovery by work colleague and nice guy Dave Davies played very well by Actor Nick Offerman . He also later tries to 13th Step (seduce) Kate ,which is another reason this film is very authentic and shows a very authentic story of the hard work and tribulations of Addiction Recovery the film doesn't judge or preach it just tells it like it is warts and all. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is excellent and so believable in this role and Aaron Paul also shines as the bewildered and confused husband who doesn't want to get better and resents this new authentic person his wife has become. Aaron Paul filmed this in between the hit series "Breaking Bad." so he must have had the subject of addiction fresh on his mind. The Classic film "Days of Wine and Roses." (1962) film starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick also portrayed the devastation of a couple in active alcoholism superbly. "Smashed " begins the same way but offers a hopeful solution for at least one of the partners it's a really sensitive and authentic movie. The film got some well deserved professional critics also- Variety critic Justin Chang commended Smashed for its "sheer emotional generosity" and Ponsoldt and Burke for their optimistic and sympathetic approach to the story Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised the film's neutral and unsentimental tone and its "refusal to indulge a voyeuristic taste for ... sordid details I agree with famous film critic Roger Ebert who praised Mary Elizabeth Winstead saying and gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4, wrote that she "is sort of wonderful in this movie, worn and warm" and commended her decision not to portray the character as a victim.
There are many movies made about the effects on families and individuals due to the disease of Addiction to Alcohol or Drugs . A great series I reviewed a while ago "Loudermilk" is just that but more in a Comedy and character sense which is fine we all need to laugh at our defects of character at times. Smashed is very different it's certainly not a comedy but it's not a tragedy either it just tells a very authentic and factual story of what can happen in a marriage or relationship when one party faces their demons and seeks recovery but the other doesn't. The whole dynamics change and the sick partner feels betrayed and confused seeing a totally different and foreign aspect to their partners character. Smashed was conceived by James Ponsoldt Director and co writer with Susan Burke after they had a conversation about things they had done while drunk. Some of the story's details were based on Burke's own experience; she was an alcoholic until she was 24 years old, when she started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Susan felt that her experiences with alcoholism had not been represented on film before, and so she decided to write about a young woman deciding to become sober.
Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead cast as Kate Hannah married to Charlie Hannah played by Aaron Paul are a nice young couple who obviously love each other but they love drinking alcohol more so that takes its toll on both their lives. Kate is a kindergarten teacher who after a night of drunken oblivion throws up in front of the class and her mortification is worse when Principal Barnes played by Megan Mullaley (Karen in Will and Grace) suggests she's pregnant and Kate decides to go along with that subterfuge to keep her job. Charlie ,Kate's drinking partner and husband obviously has had an enabling family who have provided them with a home and financed his drinking so that he can spend most of his time smashed. They're both a really nice affectionate well suited couple showing no overt violence If it wasn't for their Alcoholism they probably would have started a family and settled down to a happy contented life but as a saying I like goes "Two cripples don't do a pretty bridal waltz." Kate is " 12 Stepped" introduced into recovery by work colleague and nice guy Dave Davies played very well by Actor Nick Offerman . He also later tries to 13th Step (seduce) Kate ,which is another reason this film is very authentic and shows a very authentic story of the hard work and tribulations of Addiction Recovery the film doesn't judge or preach it just tells it like it is warts and all. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is excellent and so believable in this role and Aaron Paul also shines as the bewildered and confused husband who doesn't want to get better and resents this new authentic person his wife has become. Aaron Paul filmed this in between the hit series "Breaking Bad." so he must have had the subject of addiction fresh on his mind. The Classic film "Days of Wine and Roses." (1962) film starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick also portrayed the devastation of a couple in active alcoholism superbly. "Smashed " begins the same way but offers a hopeful solution for at least one of the partners it's a really sensitive and authentic movie. The film got some well deserved professional critics also- Variety critic Justin Chang commended Smashed for its "sheer emotional generosity" and Ponsoldt and Burke for their optimistic and sympathetic approach to the story Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised the film's neutral and unsentimental tone and its "refusal to indulge a voyeuristic taste for ... sordid details I agree with famous film critic Roger Ebert who praised Mary Elizabeth Winstead saying and gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4, wrote that she "is sort of wonderful in this movie, worn and warm" and commended her decision not to portray the character as a victim.