Review of Smashed (2012) by Brett B — 16 Mar 2013

A pretty tough, frank examination of alcoholism. Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives a career-best performance as the lead - it's as raw and honest as you could imagine, and she does a terrific job of earning the audience's sympathy without resorting to over-the-top histrionics; there are big, emotional moments and outbursts, to be sure, but they always feel incredibly, uncomfortably real.

Indeed, the film's treatment of alcoholism is unflinching and rough, and the filmmakers go to great pains to showcase how difficult an affliction it can be, particularly when drinking is so intrinsically a part of your life, and the lives of those you're closest to.

Even so, with all that accounted for, the movie somehow manages to not be a completely dour or depressing slog; chalk that up to the great acting (Winstead, obviously, as well as the roster of solid supporting turns from Paul, Spencer, Offerman, and Mullally) and the occasional moments of ultra-jet-black humor that are peppered throughout.

SMASHED would make for an interesting double feature with FLIGHT (also released in 2012, and coming at the subject from a different angle), as - like that film - it is a mature and thoughtful character study, and one that really worked for me.