Smashed (2012)

Here's film i read about ages ago but never got around to seeing. It's the story of a young woman (i'd guess nearing 30) named Kate who is a functioning alcoholic, but as she realizes her drinking is becoming a problem decides to get help. Unlike her husband who continues to drink heavily.

I'm not usually a fan of movies about alcoholics, due to my own upbringing they tend to be a little depressing and sometimes woefully inaccurate - one of the things i dislike about them. However, this is not one of those movies. Both Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof, Scott Pilgrim, Die Hard 4) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) are fantastic at playing alcoholics and craft sympathetic and likable characters. And Kate would have been an awesome 1st grade teacher to have. Except for the whole vomiting in class thing.

But as good as Paul is (though he isn't given all that much to work with) the lion's share of credit needs to go to Winstead who is a revelation. She's not an actress i ever paid attention to, she'd show up in movies and i'd nod and say 'she was okay'. Nothing i'd had ever seen her in indicated she could do this. She's funny, charming, sad and completely without the Hollywood pretense that i expected. I wish she had been nominated for an Oscar, it's a powerful performance and one that didn't deserve to go under the radar. Actually, this is one of the best performances I've seen by an actress for sometime (yes, i am including Jennifer Lawrence), she completely becomes this character and doesn't go over the top like some actresses could have. She's just gained herself a fan and I can't wait to see her movie (currently in pre-production) Faults.

The supporting roles are filled by wonderful actors Megan Mullally (Will and Grace), Ron Swanson Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Octavia Spencer (The Help). While they aren't given roles as meaty as Winstead or Paul they do their jobs well and Nick Offerman is so far removed from Ron Swanson that it will certainly surprise some people. One complaint is that Mullally's Principal Barnes is turned into something of a caricature by the end of the film, it's hardly Mullally's fault but it was a little jarring.

The film makes use of very natural lighting, giving a great sense of realism, and director James Ponsoldt will hopefully have great things ahead of him. His direction of actors is particularly worthy of praise.

This is a solid and engaging movie that generally to avoid the cliche's associated with 'movie-alcoholism' as i tend to call it. Winstead and Paul play the roles of alcoholics very well and without a hint of glamorization. Worthy of a rental and even buy.