This subject matter here is addressed often, as it should be. Everyone involved got this one right-- the writer, the director, the actors. Anyone who is this person or who loves this person will find this a relevant and moving portrayal of addiction and its ravages. Not light fare, but well worth the kleenex.

Smashed is about alcoholism, certainly. But it's also about marriage. Growing as an individual is great, but how does that affect the relationship you have with your spouse? Must you both grow together in order to not grow apart? Taking a unique point-of-view and harboring another impressive turn from future-awards-winner Winstead, this is a difficult and uncomfortably honest little romantic drama from a talented young filmmaker.

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.

Pretty teacher Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and husband Charlie (Aaron Paul) are a young married couple who are also alcoholics. When Kate gets sick of waking up in strange places and peeing herself, she decides to quit drinking and get help. But, Kate faces an uphill battle as she gets resentment, not support, from her husband and to gain sobriety she may loose everything. What I liked most about this indie drama was that co-writer/ director James Ponsoldt avoids the melodramatics that usually come with films of this nature and guides his cast trough a real life situation and has them play real life people complete with quirks and all. And as for his cast, they all give good down to earth performances but, it is Winstead who owns the movie as the troubled young woman who wants to change the downward spiral of her life. She effectively portrays the frustration of her own behavior and then then hurt and anger when she tries to change her life and doesn't get the support she needs from those she cares about. Winstead shows chops that she hasn't yet had the opportunity to show and she gives a very real and effecting performance. True, I would like to have seen more of the relationship between Kate and her AA sponsor, Jenny (Octavia Spencer) and a subplot involving her vice principal, Dave (Nick Offerman), who has a crush on her and introduces her to his AA group, doesn't quite click but, this are minor points. Overall Smashed is a solid and heartfelt drama that doesn't preach yet, doesn't make light of it subject matter and gives a talented young actress a role she can really shine in. Recommended for those who are looking for a drama that's refreshingly un-Hollywood and want to see Winstead prove she's more then a pretty face.