Movie Review! Smashed

I have many family members who struggle with alcohol addiction, and I’m about to start reading books about it trying to understand what it is that makes the brain and body addicted and how I can better help. Coincidently, I just stumbled upon this movie and it’s about that topic. It actually had really good character development, good acting and good scripting. It wasn’t a blow your mind kind of movie, but it’s worth watching especially if you know someone who’s an alcoholic.

The story starts out with Kate, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Charlie played by Aaron Paul drinking during their breakfast. What’s interesting is the way it’s portrayed. They love each other, they’re happy, this is normal to them and just how they live.  She’s a school teacher and he works reviewing band concerts and other music related things. Often times alcoholics are portrayed as the bum on the street and I think I connected with this because my uncle who is now sober was a high school teacher and one of my favorite uncles. He’s the one who got me into reading and science and many of the things that make me who I am today.

Nick Offerman plays Dave, the high school vice principal and he does a very good job, I’m always a fan of Offerman. He’s a very nerdy, single dude who covers Kates classes when she’s too sick to teach. Kate is actually a really good first grade teacher and it’s sad watching her vomit in front of the class.

 

The principal of the school is Megan Mullally and her character isn’t SUPER weird, but she dances on the line of normal and pushing the boundaries most people wouldn’t push. She wasn’t able to have kids of her own, so after Kate lies and says she has morning sickness to cover up her hangovers she gets really involved in Kates life.

Kates drinking starts getting out of control, and she finds herself waking up outside in the alley after a long night of drinking. She was confronted by Offerman because he’s seen her drink in her car, and he offers to take her to AA.

Kate tries to clean up her life, but Charlie isn’t on board and it causes serious problems in their relationship.

Overall I thought this was a good movie. Not great, nothing to shout in the streets about, but I enjoyed watching it. I think my biggest complaint was actually the ending, it cuts off without much of a resolution. I’m not sure if they didn’t know how to end the movie, or if it was trying to send a message of some sort, but I was irked by it. Overall I think I’d give it a 7.5/10 It’d be an 8 if the ending wasn’t awkward, but some people like movies that have open endings.