Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
If your account is linked with Facebook and you have turned on sharing, this will show up in your activity feed. If not, you can turn on sharing
here
.
A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Director:
David O. Russell
Stars:
Bradley Cooper,
Jennifer Lawrence,
Robert De Niro
A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.
Director:
Martin McDonagh
Stars:
Sam Rockwell,
Colin Farrell,
Christopher Walken
In small-town Texas, the local mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she's alive.
Director:
Richard Linklater
Stars:
Jack Black,
Shirley MacLaine,
Matthew McConaughey
Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his widowed mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his unhappily married brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.
One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
A middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars.
Two best friends decide to have a child together while keeping their relationship platonic, so they can avoid the toll kids can take on romantic relationships.
Director:
Jennifer Westfeldt
Stars:
Adam Scott,
Jennifer Westfeldt,
Maya Rudolph
As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John's side ever since - a friendship that's tested when Lori, John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.
Kate and Charlie Hannah have a relationship well lubricated with alcohol, but Kate finally finds her chemical appetites have gotten completely out of control. With the help of an ex-addict friend at work, Kate finds a support group that helps her begin to conquer her addictions. However, that recovery proves just part of a larger personal challenge to rebuild her life even as her marriage with her drunken husband deteriorates. Written by
Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
"Smashed" stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate a twenty-something alcoholic who has finally had enough of her drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle. The good thing is that it's not presented as a superficial inspirational drama. The bad part is that that means that Kate is pretty unlikable from beginning to end. She goes to work as a school teacher while hung-over and concocts a lie about being pregnant when she can't keep the contents of her stomach down.
Eventually she comes home to her husband, Charlie (Aaron Paul), and realizes that it's time for her to get sober. Good for her. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn't realize that it would be a good idea for him too. And thus starts the deteriorating relationship drama that parallels the progressive character study.
Most people will be watching this for Winstead's tour-de-force career- defining performance. I watched it because of Aaron Paul. The quiet but powerful actor of the hit show "Breaking Bad" has his fair share of fans through his portrayal of the drug-dealing junkie, Jesse. Nobody can treat Jesse poorly. On the show they'll likely die, outside of the show, they'll get a scathing review. In "Smashed" we've already established that Kate isn't very likable and because she thinks she's more mature than Charlie she doesn't treat him with much respect.
As Kate and Charlie's marriage deteriorates, I'm not sure which emotions the filmmakers wanted from the audience, but I was just mad. Charlie deserved better. Actually most of the actors deserved better. A lot of people are praising the humour and supporting performances in this film. Nick Offerman played a fellow addict who had a very creepy side which was supposed to account for a wicked sense of humour but it was just a bit too awkward for me to find entertaining. Octavia Spencer plays Kate's sponsor and her wicked sense of humour seems to come out of nowhere since her character isn't well defined.
"Smashed" does offer a realistic view of the struggle of addiction and sobriety with a refreshing mix of humour and drama, but it was hard to be on Kate's side and the film doesn't seem to give the supporting characters their full due.
7 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
"Smashed" stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate a twenty-something alcoholic who has finally had enough of her drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle. The good thing is that it's not presented as a superficial inspirational drama. The bad part is that that means that Kate is pretty unlikable from beginning to end. She goes to work as a school teacher while hung-over and concocts a lie about being pregnant when she can't keep the contents of her stomach down.
Eventually she comes home to her husband, Charlie (Aaron Paul), and realizes that it's time for her to get sober. Good for her. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn't realize that it would be a good idea for him too. And thus starts the deteriorating relationship drama that parallels the progressive character study.
Most people will be watching this for Winstead's tour-de-force career- defining performance. I watched it because of Aaron Paul. The quiet but powerful actor of the hit show "Breaking Bad" has his fair share of fans through his portrayal of the drug-dealing junkie, Jesse. Nobody can treat Jesse poorly. On the show they'll likely die, outside of the show, they'll get a scathing review. In "Smashed" we've already established that Kate isn't very likable and because she thinks she's more mature than Charlie she doesn't treat him with much respect.
As Kate and Charlie's marriage deteriorates, I'm not sure which emotions the filmmakers wanted from the audience, but I was just mad. Charlie deserved better. Actually most of the actors deserved better. A lot of people are praising the humour and supporting performances in this film. Nick Offerman played a fellow addict who had a very creepy side which was supposed to account for a wicked sense of humour but it was just a bit too awkward for me to find entertaining. Octavia Spencer plays Kate's sponsor and her wicked sense of humour seems to come out of nowhere since her character isn't well defined.
"Smashed" does offer a realistic view of the struggle of addiction and sobriety with a refreshing mix of humour and drama, but it was hard to be on Kate's side and the film doesn't seem to give the supporting characters their full due.