By Nicole Weintraub
In the upcoming film Smashed, married couple Kate and Charlie are exactly that — smashed all the time. The epitome of their whole relationship revolves around their love for drinking. Though, all of that changes when Kate played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead starts attending AA meetings in order to get sober with her job as a schoolteacher on the line. With his drinking partner now turning over a new leaf, Charlie who is played by Aaron Paul is left drinking by himself. If Kate thought giving up drinking was going to be easy, she has another thing coming as she is now faced with a plethora of new problems. Without alcohol to suppress her issues, her problems with her mother start to arise and the entire nature of her relationship with Charlie is questioned. This flick comes out October 12 and you definitely don’t want to miss it. Just remember not to be smashed while watching it.
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Should You See It: Well duh. We have all gone out and perhaps have developed relationships with people while intoxicated so we can all relate. Plus, we all know we want to see if Kate and Charlie are able to work out their marital problems or if drinking tears them apart ultimately.
Who To Take: Sorry girls, but I would say to leave the boyfriend at home for this one. This is a girls’ night out kind of movie that you and your girlfriends can take a pointer or two from. Though, if it’s your turn to pick the movie this time, then drag your beau with you.
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In the trailer, glimpses of the happily married Kate and Charlie are revealed. Whether it be bicycle riding or playing golf with a coffee mug on the floor, the pair seem to be blissfully happy. All is turned upside down though when Kate’s job is on the line and she has to turn over a new leaf by going sober or else she will lose her teaching job. She starts by attending AA meetings and when she reveals her plan to her husband, he assures her that he will support her. Though, in the same breath he takes a gulp of his own drink. Kate opens up and tells her husband that she would prefer it if he not drink since it will be difficult for her to go cold turkey if she sees him still with alcohol. With Kate’s sudden decision to turn to sobriety, their whole marriage is questioned. Was their entire relationship based on their love for drinking? Do they have anything in common while sober?
Cupid’s Advice:
Here are some pointers on how to take your relationship to the next level so that it’s not just a superficial relationship like the one Kate and Charlie have in Smashed:
1. Do something different: Try something the two of you have never done before together. This will help to strengthen the relationship and create new memories to deepen the bond between you and your partner. Take a cooking class or go to a museum.
2. Play a game: There are tons of fun couple friendly games out there. It could be as simple as a game of Would You Rather or as out there as blindfolded trust building exercises. Learning about one another does not have to be like you’re back in the classroom, make it fun.
3. Communicate: This word is probably the most overused word when it comes to relationship advice — communicate. But it’s so true! Open up and tell your partner what is wrong. They can’t read your mind just like you can’t read theirs.
Have you ever been in a superficial relationship? Share your experiences below!
