"“A compelling character drama about the withering marriage between two self-destructive alcoholics...”"

Proving a big hit at the Sundance Film Festival this year – and carrying a small degree of Oscar buzz – James Ponsoldt returns with Smashed; a compelling character drama about the withering marriage between two self-destructive alcoholics.

Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Charlie (Aaron Paul) appear to be a happily married pair, who thrive in one another's company, maintaining a strong mutual bond formed through the act of drinking alcohol and partying. However, when Kate's job as a school teacher is put at risk following a hangover which causes her to vomit in class, she decides to go to narcotics anonymous meetings and help curb her damaging addiction. Spurred on by her colleague Dave (Nick Offerman) and her newly-installed sponsor Jenny (Octavia Spencer), Kate quits drinking altogether, yet while she gets sober and her life changes for the better, her marriage heads quite the other way...

Smashed takes a somewhat understated approach when dealing with alcoholism, as a 'disease' that is very easily exaggerated on screen, often portrayed by actors as though parodying the art of being drunk. However, Winstead and Paul tackle such themes sincerely, and the film is believable as a result. We are presented with an accurate blend of the more comedic, playful aspects to being drunk, with the quite unpleasant, embarrassing moments – as we really do feel like we are shown a fair, objective portrayal of drinking booze. In a sense it is quite difficult to judge exactly what Ponsoldt wants the audience to take away from this, because we do seem to cross between glorifying alcohol and then making it out to be the devil's poison – but effectively that sums up the majority of alcoholics’ relationship with drink.

However, despite Ponsoldt succinctly portraying Kate's personal battle with booze along with Charlie's aversion to changing his lifestyle, Smashed is lacking severely in the depiction of their faltering marriage. We simply don't get a feel for their deteriorating relationship, which doesn't justify their predicament in the slightest, as we lack the strength of conviction needed to maximise the effect of this failure.

Winstead shines regardless, displaying a wonderful mixture of being both vulnerable and susceptible to alcohol, as well as portraying the more confident, determined side to her nature, allowing us to fully believe in her ability to overcome her compulsive addiction, with both sides of her demeanour equally convincing; the alcoholic and the recoverer. Paul is strong too, playing the hapless, layabout boyfriend well.

There is much to digest within Smashed, as an intriguing and multi-layered drama that is certainly one to analyse and discuss amongst friends after the film has finished. Over a pint, perhaps.