*** Welcome to piglix ***

Smashed (film)

Smashed
Smashed (film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by James Ponsoldt
Produced by Jonathan Schwartz
Andrea Sperling
Jennifer Cochis
Written by James Ponsoldt
Susan Burke
Starring
Music by Eric D. Johnson
Andy Cabic
Cinematography Tobias Datum
Edited by Suzanne Spangler
Production
company
Super Crispy Entertainment
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Release date
  • January 22, 2012 (2012-01-22) (Sundance Film Festival)
  • October 12, 2012 (2012-10-12) (United States)
Running time
81 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $500,000
Box office $499,725

Smashed is a 2012 American drama film directed by James Ponsoldt, written by Ponsoldt and Susan Burke, and starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul. Winstead and Paul play a married couple, Kate and Charlie Hannah, both alcoholics. After a series of embarrassing incidents caused by her drinking habit, Kate decides to get sober with the help of a coworker and a sponsor from Alcoholics Anonymous.

The script was partly based on Burke's own experience of giving up alcohol at a young age, since she felt that her narrative had not yet been told on film. She and Ponsoldt wrote the script over six months, and the main roles were cast in September 2011. The film's US$500,000 budget was financed by independent investors including Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. It was shot in Los Angeles in October 2011. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2012 and was released by Sony Pictures Classics on October 12, 2012. The film received positive reviews, with Winstead's performance receiving unanimous praise, and was nominated for several awards for her acting.

Kate Hannah (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), an elementary school teacher, arrives at work hungover and vomits in front of her class. Asked by a student if she is pregnant, she pretends she is, then continues the lie to the school principal, Mrs. Barnes (Megan Mullally). Her co-worker Dave (Nick Offerman) reveals that he knows she has been drinking and she makes him swear not to tell anyone.

Attending a party with her husband Charlie (Aaron Paul) and his brother Owen (Kyle Gallner), Kate drinks heavily. While leaving, she meets a woman who asks Kate for a ride. Kate is offered crack and the two get high together. The next morning, Kate wakes alone on the street. She finds her car and drives home, where Charlie acknowledges they both are alcoholics. They get intoxicated and have sex before Charlie passes out. Kate heads out alone to buy wine but is turned down by the cashier. She urinates on the floor because the bathroom door is locked, then steals a bottle of wine.


...
Wikipedia

...