My wife and I went to see Smashed because we like Arron Paul (Jesse on Breaking Bad.) He’s a warm and talented actor, and the preview made it look like a promising role for him. He is good in the film, don’t get me wrong, but the preview is a little misleading. Smashed is not really a story of a couple bonding together to help themselves. It’s the story of the wife’s journey to get sober, as her husband just stays a drunk. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it does limit what Arron Paul gets to do. I sincerely hope he can eventually break out of this type casting, as I think he has a lot more in him.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives a terrific performance as the alcoholic wife who is trying to help herself. The supporting casting is solid (Octavia Spencer is great in a small role,) and the story feels for the most part very realistic. It vividly captures a lot about the disease of alcoholism and it also captures a lot about the process of A.A.. What it does not do is transcend its story in any way – none of these characters are developed very well, and you do not become particularly attached to Winstead’s character as she makes her journey. In the end, the story is too linear and simplistic, too hung up on getting all the details of alcoholism right, to warrant ever watching again.

It’s a good movie to Netflix on a Sunday night when there’s nothing else to watch.