Smashed
By: Erin Huang-Schaffer
If you've already seen Smashed, you'll know there are not many lead actresses who will be able to hold their own against Mary Elizabeth Winstead at the next Oscars.
Winstead plays elementary schoolteacher and alcoholic Kate with humanity, brightness, and sentimentality. Kate represents the struggle of many who are trying to figure out what it truly means to love yourself, as opposed to your addiction.
In this story, Kate and her husband Charlie (played by Emmy-winner Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad) love to drink, and party… and drink. When the side effects of Kate's alcoholism follow her to work, they cause her to make even worse decisions, and she has the realization that she needs to "slow down."
This is obviously not a family film, but like I said before, it is one with a meaningful message. The writing of the story is spectacular, the scenes are cut at perfect moments (you always see just enough of what is necessary), and the supporting actors (including Paul, Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation, and Emmy-winner Megan Mullally from Will & Grace) give strong and very real individual performances.
Each of the characters had moments where they revealed their own personal struggles. I feel like those moments really were in harmony with what Winstead brought to the film: showing the scariest part of yourself.
Winstead possesses a childlike, carefree attitude as well as a tiredness and fear of what she has become. It's amazing to watch. There's a line where she says, "Even when I'm wasted, I'm still [censored] adorable." So true.
Maybe the theme of the movie is that everyone has their own struggles, and those struggles make it seem like you can't go on, but you need to love yourself and love your wellbeing, and if you do, the struggles will lessen over time.
I feel like this movie gave me a better understanding of addiction, through the undoubtedly lifelike portrayal shown through Winstead. I'll note that there is drinking, drugs, sex, and language featured in this film, earning it its R rating. But to those who can see this movie, I hope you take away the same positive experience I had.
Winstead plays elementary schoolteacher and alcoholic Kate with humanity, brightness, and sentimentality. Kate represents the struggle of many who are trying to figure out what it truly means to love yourself, as opposed to your addiction.
In this story, Kate and her husband Charlie (played by Emmy-winner Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad) love to drink, and party… and drink. When the side effects of Kate's alcoholism follow her to work, they cause her to make even worse decisions, and she has the realization that she needs to "slow down."
This is obviously not a family film, but like I said before, it is one with a meaningful message. The writing of the story is spectacular, the scenes are cut at perfect moments (you always see just enough of what is necessary), and the supporting actors (including Paul, Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation, and Emmy-winner Megan Mullally from Will & Grace) give strong and very real individual performances.
Each of the characters had moments where they revealed their own personal struggles. I feel like those moments really were in harmony with what Winstead brought to the film: showing the scariest part of yourself.
Winstead possesses a childlike, carefree attitude as well as a tiredness and fear of what she has become. It's amazing to watch. There's a line where she says, "Even when I'm wasted, I'm still [censored] adorable." So true.
Maybe the theme of the movie is that everyone has their own struggles, and those struggles make it seem like you can't go on, but you need to love yourself and love your wellbeing, and if you do, the struggles will lessen over time.
I feel like this movie gave me a better understanding of addiction, through the undoubtedly lifelike portrayal shown through Winstead. I'll note that there is drinking, drugs, sex, and language featured in this film, earning it its R rating. But to those who can see this movie, I hope you take away the same positive experience I had.