Review of Smashed (2012) by Caesar M — 08 Feb 2013

SMASHED:breaking the bottle 3/5.

James Ponsoldt's American film about alcoholism and the struggle to overcome it, though sombre, is never so grim as to repulse the audience.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is Kate, a primary school teacher whose covert, and continual, recourse to the bottle becomes her number one problem when she throws up in front of her grade one pupils. Her demise is not assisted by her, financially independent but indolent, husband (Aaron Paul) who shares her addiction but not her sense of desperation.

Being in a state of almost constant inebriation, in varying degrees, the vivacious Kate lives a treadmill of degradation and self-disgust. The beautiful Winstead gives a brave performance and her battle to kick her habit is confronting to watch.

At eighty-five minutes, Smashed is more a vignette, than a fully developed character study but its point is powerfully made, nonetheless.

All of the cast are fine, with Emmy winner, Paul, adding a dash of humour as the hapless partner.

For much of her journey, Kate is helplessly cast adrift, yet the few sources of support she is able to cling to, make this a positive experience. With the widespread belief, especially by young people today, that a good time can only be had by the excessive consumption of alcohol, this is a film that has a particularly contemporary resonance. It offers, vicariously, an experience that may deter some from the real thing and is, more than likely, one film that will find support from the parent population.

Phil.