FilmCritHulk from Badass Digest named Smashed one of his favorite films of 2012, coming in at #10 which was tied with Cloud Atlas. Below is his review:
10. CLOUD ATLAS / SMASHED (TIE)
OKAY HULK COULDN’T EVEN GO ONE ENTRY WITHOUT CHEATING. BUT HULK COULDN’T NOT INCLUDE EITHER ONE OF THESE FILMS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THIS UNLIKELY PAIR SAYS SO MUCH ABOUT THE RANGE OF WHAT CINEMA CAN BE. ON ONE HAND, SMASHED APPROACHES EARNESTNESS FROM A WHOLLY INTIMATE SETTING WITH STRICTLY REALISTIC INTENTION. IN DOING SO IT IS PERHAPS THE VERY DEFINITION OF A “SMALL MOVIE,” BUT GLORIOUSLY SO. IT’S ALL SUBTLETY AND GRACE, OFTEN RESTING ON THE SHOULDERS OF AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE FROM MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD. IT ESCHEWS MORALITY, REFRAINS FROM DIDACTICISM AND SIMPLY SEEKS TO ESTABLISH THE JOYS OF SELF-TRUTH. AND IN DOING SO, IT IS, AS IT IS INTENDED TO BE, SOBERING. AS FOR THE OTHER FILM? CLOUD ATLAS IS PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT OPPOSITE. IT’S THE “BIGGEST” FILM IMAGINABLE AND SCREAMS ITS MESSAGE FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS, DRILLING IT INTO OUR PSYCHES; THAT MESSAGE BEING THE INESCAPABLE NEED AND CRITICAL FUNCTION OF HUMANITIES’ BASIC, RUDIMENTARY GOODNESS. AT ONCE DISMISSIBLE AS A “KINDERGARTEN LESSON” IT INSTEAD DEFINES ITSELF PROUDLY BY THAT CHARACTERIZATION. IT WAS ONCE REJECTED BY A FELLOW CRITIC WHO CALLED IT “SIX B MOVIES THAT SUPPOSEDLY ADD UP TO SOMETHING MORE SIGNIFICANT,” BUT IF YOU ASK HULK, YOU CAN TAKE OUT THE “SUPPOSEDLY.” THESE ARE TWO FILMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ABOUT ONE HUMAN TRUTH, AND HULK ADORES THE WAY THEY ARRIVE THERE FROM STUNNINGLY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
Also, amestrib.com writes that Mary “gives the performance of her career” in the film:
It doesn’t reinvent the alcoholism drama, it just gives it youth and heartbreak. Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives the performance of her career as a young teacher who struggles to grow up, get sober and start over. Standing in her way? Her adoring husband (Aaron Paul), the love of her life, but her co-dependent enabler. This is what the downward spiral is like, and this is how rough recovery can be.
