Smashed Review

I rented this movie because it looked like an interesting portrait of alcoholism.  The movie centers around a young lady who hangs out with her husband and her relationship revolves around bar singing and drinking.  However, after several problems in her life - she decides to go to an AA meeting and see what life is like when she doesn't drink.  It turns out - she likes her life, but her husband doesn't enjoy the constant reminder of his drunken lifestyle which presents a turning point in her life:  does she stay married to an alcoholic, or does she walk away from her husband and alcohol all together?  I think this movie had great potential, but sadly I came away disappointed for the following reasons:

1. For a fictional story this movie centers on realism at the expense of redemption.  

Unfortunately unless you are presenting a true story I expect a better ending.  This movie didn't deliver in the ending department mainly because it focuses SO MUCH on realism that a redemptive ending is never in sight.

2.  It accurately shows the horrors of alcoholism without convincing you of the benefits of being sober and addiction free.  

Although this movie shows the main character triumphing over alcohol, the story line didn't seem to make me root for an AA group and the freedoms living free of drunkenness can bring to a life.  Yet that is what living sober can do.  Getting drunk is a sin, and it hurts those around you.  Yet this movie didn't portray the alternative in a good enough light in my opinion.

3. It showed some advantages of giving up alcohol but failed to show the joys of replacing it with a life-giving joy in knowing Jesus.

Being an alcoholic is hard.  The main character gives it up, but she doesn't really find a life-changing experience with Jesus to replace it.  Therefore, it presents her life as better, but not as good as it could be.  She doesn't find a new passion as she lives for Christ.  She doesn't really find anything worthwhile to replace her alcoholism.   Therefore this movie leaves you sad and kind of down.  In my opinion this could have been much better,  but the script wasn't very funny or redemptive.    The acting was well done - but unless you adequately show the joys of living free and serving God Almighty,  it fails to deliver a sobering alternative to drunkenness.

4. Great acting but offensive language.   

I know the writers were probably going for realism but this movie had a LOT of offensive language.  It has been even categorized as a comedy movie, yet I hardly laughed.  It wasn't as funny as it was accurate and real.  For this reason and the three reasons listed above,  I give this movie only 2.5 stars out of 5.  There are better movies out there than this one, although I think the actors/actresses made a noble effort.