Susan Burke: Smashed
Photo Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Independent Film Quarterly’s Dan Frank sat down with Susan Burke, co-writer of Smashed, in Los Angeles, CA. Smashed won the US Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Independent Film Producing at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, and was nominated for Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category. Following its US premiere at Sundance, Smashed was an official selection of the following festivals: Deauville Film Festival (France), Toronto International Film Festival (Canada), Athens Film Festival (Greece), Jameson Cinefest International Film Festival (Hungary), Stockholm International Film Festival (Sweden) and Hamptons International Film Festival (US). Smashed is set to receive its US theatrical run, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics, on October 12th in New York and LA.
IFQ: Tell us about Smashed.
Susan Burke (SB): It’s about a young, married couple Kate and Charlie. They both party a lot, probably been partying since college or before. As in Kate’s case, before. She’s come to the point in her life where she realizes that partying has become a problem. She might be an alcoholic, and she decides to stop drinking. The story is about the effects that her sobriety has on her relationship.
IFQ: What inspired you to write the story like this?
SB: I, myself, got sober as a young woman, and that’s not something that I ever really wanted to write about. I do mostly comedy. James and I are good friends. He sort of brought up the idea. We talked about it being a woman as the main character and the struggles that a woman has getting sober are so different than a man [getting sober]. We decided to do it.
IFQ: In the relapse scene, I was moved by how real and awkward it felt at the same time. What got into you when you were writing that scene?
SB: [Laughs.] That was a difficult scene. It wasn’t a difficult scene to write; it was very easy. It’s a difficult scene to watch because of the fight between Kate and Charlie. I think it wasn’t based on any particular fight, but just the emotions that kind of all come to the surface all at once.
IFQ: What’s the message behind Smashed?
SB: It’s not a message movie. I don’t think there is any message that people should quit drinking or anything like that. Obviously, everybody is different and everybody’s experience is different. I wanted to show one woman’s experience and portray an alcoholic in a way that hasn’t been portrayed before. [I wanted] something that people of our generation can relate to. Younger people can say, that’s like my friend. I understand her. That’s like me. Instead of saying, that’s a disease for old people or bums or people that we can’t relate to. It’s really the story of a relationship. I think that anybody can relate to it. Alcoholism is just a part of the story; it’s not what the story is about.
IFQ: Was this your first screenplay?
SB: Yes, it’s my first feature.
IFQ: What’s next for you?
SB: I’m working on a couple different projects; two different features and I also have a sketch comedy group with two other women called Birds of Prey.
IFQ: Where can we see you as Birds of Prey?
SB: We perform in Los Angeles at different comedy theatres. You can check our website which is kawkawkaw.com.
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.