SMASHED

US, 2012, 93 minutes, Colour.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer, Mary Kay Place.
Directed by James Ponsoldt.

Smashed, as its title suggests, is a story about drinking and alcoholism. They have been many films about alcoholism in the past, especially the film about a husband and wife, Days of Wine and Roses.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is very good as the young woman, married without children, teaching primary classes, but drinking steadily and showing the aftereffects of binge drinking and hangovers and being sick in front of her children at school. She pretends that she is pregnant and avoids a question her about her size, she lies that she has had a miscarriage. When admitting all this to the principal, she is fired. The deputy principal, previously an alcoholic, persuades her to attend meetings where she meets Jennie and asks her to be her sponsor.
Her husband keeps drinking, she goes to visit her mother who is surprised but ultimately proud of what Kate has done; but she lapses when she discovers her husband has told his friends about her crack experience. She is rescued by the deputy and by Jennie. The film ends with her having some success, reassess her situation while her husband asks for them to be reunited. The film ends with hesitation…
Aaron Paul, from Breaking Bad, is Charlie, the husband. Need is the deputy. Surprisingly, Megan Mullaly is the principal while Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer is Jennie. Mary K. Place portrays Kate’s mother. James Ponsoldt directed another film about alcoholism, Off the Black, with Nick Nolte, and directed the very successful The Spectacular Now.

1. A contemporary film about alcoholism? Characters in their twenties? The moral message? Alcoholics anonymous? 12 steps?
2. The American City, homes, bars, school, streets, AA meetings?
3. The title, the blunt naming of the problem?
4. The focus on Kate, the performance, age, the regular drinking, her marriage to Charlie, his friends, playing pool, at school, teaching, her exuberance with the students, her being sick, the lying about pregnancy, deceiving the children, the discussions with the principal, sympathy? Kate feeling ashamed?
5. The depiction of addiction, the need for the alcohol, the bars, the drive, her behaviour at work, night out, in the gutter, the crack cocaine, telling her husband, and his telling his friends? The effects on her?
6. Mr Davies, taking her class, stern, his talk with her, the truth about himself, drinking, drugs, AA, his persuading her to go to a meeting, his friendship with her, the effect? His attraction to her, his use of inappropriate language, her response and warning him?
7. The principal, her sympathy, giving her time off, the baby shower and the gifts, Kate telling her the truth, about the lies, the principal’s dismay, firing her?
8. The kids, spelling, the questions, pregnancy, the appearance of pregnancy, the story of a miscarriage, asking about an abortion and the child talking about hell?
9. Jennie, that the AA meeting, her story, addiction, talking, Kate asking her to be a sponsor, the phone calls, the catering business, Kate helping her? Charlie’s reaction to her phoning Jennie?
10. Kate being sober, the effect, the change, with Charlie, her previous sexual behaviour, her coldness, Charlie’s demands and disappointments? His drinking? The differences and difficulties?
11. The visit to her mother, her mother expecting her to drink, not believing her? The story about her mother, the father and his drinking, abandoning his family, his wife’s resentment? Finally proud of her daughter?
12. The bar, Charlie and telling his friends about her, her binge drinking, collapse, Jenny and Mr. Davis taking her home?
13. The cut to the AA meeting, one year later, the cake and candle, celebration? The effect on Kate, her personality, her work? Her seeing Charlie, playing croquet, his pleading with her, his hopes, her hesitation in making a decision? The end of the film?
14. The effect on the target audience, an awareness of the addiction, the behaviour, consequences? A successful moral/morale story?