Borserie it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

SquigglyCrunch Smashed follows a married couple who are both alcoholics. Ultimately, the wife Kate realizes how much alcohol has affected her life and attempts to sober up. Mary Elizabeth Winstead pulls off a largely solid performance here. Sometimes she seemed kind of off, but for the most part she was charming and I really enjoyed seeing her character on screen. Aaron Paul did a consistently great job I think. He's an interesting character that maybe should've received a bit more attention, but for what he has does great. His character is complex and flawed, and he pulls it off in a convincing way. And moreover, both these actors have great chemistry. They play off of each other really well, and I definitely bought into the idea of them being married. The writing is usually pretty good. There are never any issues I had with it really. I was never left confused or wondering how a particular character could be so stupid or anything. It captured addiction fairly well, which is exactly what I presume it was going for. Overall James Ponsoldt has created another solid movie. While it isn't as good as some of his others, it's a solid film that I certainly enjoyed seeing. In the end I would recommend it.

kosmasp The movie itself is not really a big shouting message to tell people what to do. And even Aaron Paul, whose character may seem one dimensional does have things you'll discover about him. There are more layers there and some need looking at them to see them. Nick Offerman plays it almost silently, but has one completely over the top scene (a scene with a follow-up joke that would fit in any other comedy too), that still does not derail the movie.But the main protagonist, our woman that we follow is what it's all about. And she delivers in a way that is very heartbreaking to watch. And very real too. Everyday problems and things that get out of hand. You may cringe here and there, but the movie is still able to affect you very deeply.

Emma_Stewart Smashed is a very unusual take on alcoholism: it's funny without becoming critical or irreverent, bleak but not overwhelmingly so, realistic and observant but not preachy or manipulative. It's so intimate that it's often uncomfortable to watch - during the most intense scenes there are barely any cuts, making for an immersive, almost awkwardly intrusive experience - but the grounded, winning cast bring light to it at its darkest moments. It's definitely the Winstead show, she has more than her fair share of extended close ups, monologues and Oscar clips and she nails it all. Her introduction at her first AA meeting exudes vulnerability and was so heartbreaking as I've never seen her like that before, and at other times she builds Kate on a foundation of humor and apathy that brings out the comedy in the movie'a sometimes ridiculous situations. The other actors do good work too, especially Aaron Paul who shares an easy chemistry with Winstead and does a wonderful job of shading a thinly written character - but the movie rests mostly on Winstead and she's more than capable of bearing the burden.What I liked and admired the most about it is how unblinking and thorough it is. A lot of movies about addiction tend to focus on just one aspect of the victim's/victims' life - how it's affecting their workplace, their friendships, their marriage, or their relationship with the self, etc. Not and - or. I expected the same from Smashed; the trailer at least suggested that the marriage would be the main focus. But surprisingly it was all-encompassing; we see Kate's entire life unraveling around her, and the writing and directing don't shy away from anything. I especially liked that Kate isn't painted as a victim, she makes her own choices and has to deal with her own consequences. It's not a pity party. People and life are cruel to her but you get the sense that she almost feels she deserves it. I don't know that I've seen such an objective and insightful movie in this "genre" since maybe Panic in Needle Park. I was also happy with the attention to detail regarding Kate's hygiene - Winstead looks dirty and gross for most of the movie and that's how it should be. I get tired of movies about women in tough situations who always look like they just walked out of a salon. Smashed seems destined to fly completely under the radar, which is a real shame - it's one of the unsung gems of the year so far with a stunningly good performance from Winstead and paints an exquisitely detailed portrait that leaves you feeling like you've learned something, like you understand, like you've gone through the journey along with her.

Chris L Banal and of no real interest, these are two terms that define pretty well Smashed. The scenario is pretty weak, we are on auto pilot from start to finish, everything is more or less predictable and unfolds unsurprisingly. The cast, though good on paper especially considering the presence of Aaron Paul, is almost transparent, struggling to make the most of their characters who cruelly lack depth. Besides, Smashed serves us up all the stereotypes of the alcoholism theme: AA meetings, sponsor, bad company, etc. The situations, characters, have all been been (better) treated dozens of times in other movies.At least, Ponsoldt deserves credit for his cinematography, though the ultra typical "indie" style can be irritating, and for not dragging the story too much (the movie is only 1h15).