The best films about recovery from addiction are not about reaching rock bottom and making that choice to stop. Rather, like James Ponsoldt's Smashed, they're about the very real and difficult task of going on, in an emotionally unshielded and intensely vulnerable way. Addiction, after all, isn't about loving the substance and what it does for you; it's about the way it muffles, numbs and otherwise blocks actual feelings from intruding on the user's world. Smashed follows Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Charlie (Aaron Paul), a couple who have a relationship well lubricated with alcohol. Kate ultimately realises that her chemical appetites have gotten completely out of control and decides to conquer her addictions. Of course, if you're significant other is still boozing, that's easier said than done. Smashed is a strong character driven drama that progresses in a way that feels natural to where the characters are at in any given moment. Kate and Charlie love each other and at one point they were probably perfect for one another, but if Kate wants to pull herself out of her downward spiral, she needs to break away from him and the lifestyle he insists on maintaining despite her attempts at sobriety. Ponsoldt keeps the film at a decent pace and refuses to let the material get too heavy. He focuses on the characters and their slip ups, jokes, frustrations, and all the imperfections that truly make a person who they are.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
