Kate and Charlie like to have fun... fun drinking.... fun at a bar. And we all know too much fun leads to no good. Kate realizes this but Charlie doesn't. That's the story.We follow Kate on her path to being sober and her struggles with how others perceive her. Being honest with others can back-fire on you. James Pondsolt brings to us an old story told many ways but his version has a freshness and up to date look and feel to it. The setting is middle class, so Kate & Charlie are not desperate people. They have something to loose.The ending gives the viewer more to contemplate on. Just what is Kates next move? Charlie and Kate have split up. Charlie wants to get back together!

The short feature only talks about the grave effect of alcoholism on modern version of marriage institution. And, well, it talks sharp & real.Mary Winstead is amazing as she takes on two roles in here: one, when she's sober and another when she's drunk. Both are so distinctive, they speak volumes as to how how a person becomes when he drinks all night, all day. Aaron Paul finely complements her, with his peculiar diction and portrayal. Both are two of my favorites now. Even the supporting cast is very good.Hitting exactly how alcoholism strikes relationships and wrecks havoc in all aspects of a person's life, the plot evolves into self-realization and the story further. There is humor, which purportedly is an embarrassment to the characters. With a sweet ending, Smashed is original and soothing, with its music & setup. Fine direction, photography & editing.BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. Great performances and a very authentic story.Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NO

Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her husband Charlie Hannah (Aaron Paul) are a couple of drunks. His life is a series of drinking, partying, and listening to bands. Only for her, things have gone from embarrassing to scary. After some disturbing events, she goes to AA for help.Drunk acting is arguably the toughest type of acting. For Aaron Paul, this is second nature. For Mary Elizabeth Winstead, this is a departure from her usual sweet pretty girl roles. It's always great to see an actor stretch. She does a good B+ job. I hope she continues to stretch.The story is unsensationalized serious realism. Some will find problems with the modest script. It is a short 80 minutes. There isn't some crazy hurdles for Kate to overcome. Her difficulties are reasonable problems that most hardcore drunks face. There is limited embellishments in this movie. Nick Offerman does one crazy line of dialog. That's the extend of embellishing in this one.

Smashed is one of the leftover 2012 films that I didn't have a chance to watch. I really wanted to watch it to see Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul in a starring role but it turns out the true shining star here is Mary Elizabeth Winstead. I've always liked her ever since she landed the lead role in Final Destination 3 and I'm really glad she found a place to show off her skills. Personally, I don't drink and I've only ever been tipsy so I can't really relate or sympathize with their problems besides their issue with addiction and willpower. Despite this, the character study of Winstead's protagonist is still fascinating with the contradiction of her nature as she's a primary school teacher who wears the long dresses of an 'old maid.' It's surprisingly funny too with great surprising moments from off-screen married couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally.Whenever the film seems to dip into cliché territory, it lifts itself back into the unique indie film world and escalates dilemmas to an interesting place, if sometimes with contrived devices. However, with its barely over 70 minute running time, the film can't help but feel lightweight, especially with its sense of humour. It doesn't really cut into the meat of the problem and seems to skip over the essential gap from crisis to resolution, especially with its inexplicable one year gap. But on its final note it reveals how it's a simple story of redemption. Can an alcoholic truly redeem themselves? At least the film prods the heart of the matter, particularly with the relationship between Winstead and Aaron Paul. Despite its problems, such as photography that feels like it can never decide on a frame, Smashed is a good piece of indie cinema.7/10