16th PÖFF: Smashed review

Drinking is not a problem, until it is

"Smashed" is an independent character driven comedy-drama about alcoholism by actor, director and screenwriter James Ponsoldt. With rising Hollywood actress Mary Elisabeth Winstead ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World") and charismatic Aaron Paul (TV smash hit "Breaking Bad") in the leads, this intimate and up-close second film aims high and successfully hits almost every target.

Review by Ra Ragnar Novod

Everybody loves to drink sometimes. It is hardly seen as a problem, but rather a fun way to pass the time with friends after work. Happily married couple Kate (Winstead), a kindergarten teacher, and Charlie (Paul), a stay home writer for magazines, spend their time together at crowded bars or at their messy home with friends. Their happiness is at its highest during hangovers and under the influence. This seemingly working facade starts to crumble. Trust and relationships start to show their true face and suddenly drinking isn`t so funny anymore...

My name is Kate and I`m an alcoholic

The first step for curing any sickness is to admit that you have one. After another hard night Kate embarresses herself before class. To stop any allusions from spreading around school she lies about something random. That small little lie spirals out control and one lie becomes another and another. Everything in her life is in jeopardy – her work and well-being.

On the behalf of her sympathetic and later on troublesome co-worker Dave ("Parks and Recreations" Nick Offerman) she joins Anonymus Alcoholics. These transitions feel out of place and a little rushed. Kate decides to change her life and she does, but with very little conflicts in confonting her addiction. The real pressure comes in with still drinking Charlie. At first he helps her to go through with it and even refuses drinks when meeting with Kate`s out of work and always drinking mother. Soon he starts to miss the old her. She is not fun any more. These two opposites are waiting to explode.

Something`s gotta give

This very intimate and up-close story unfolds in the way it would be expected from a film about addiction: alcoholism, realization, being clean and a turning point – does she continue as before or leaves her old life entirely behind?

These step by step story developments allow the lives of our main characters to be seen in all of its glory and misery. Kate`s recession back into addiction explodes violently and uncomfortably. She spits out every last word about what she thinks about Charlie`s condescending attitude and ends up fighting with her husband. This is the moment where the film truly shines – it`s sad, broken, longing, but still hopeful very human characters.

Apart from Winstead`s powerful and frighteningly realistic performance as Kate and Paul`s utterly fantastic role as a hard drinker and a loving husband Charlie, the constricted structure doesn`t completely flesh out all the characters as expected.

In the end a lot of questions are left hanging in the air. What kind of writer is Charlie? How Kate lives her life without alcohol? What kind of problems Dave has to struggle with? How Charlie feels about the fact his rich parents pay for everything and what is the emotional histoy between Kate and her mother? There are no answers, only little tidbits, but these appendices would give the story and its characters a much deserved push. As a film that doesn`t last even an hour and a half, it is understandable, but it is also unfortunate for the the story and it`s powerhouse performances.