In 2020, Parker Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept gained much attention after winning the Special Jury Award at SXSW. Paramount Pictures hired Finn to adapt the short film into a feature-length movie in June of that year. In September 2021, the studio announced the film titled Something’s Wrong with Rose, with Sosie Bacon in the lead. After the studio announced the rest of the main cast, principal photography lasted from October to November 2021. An extensive round of editing and post-production followed, lasting from December 2021 to May 2022. Initially, Paramount wanted to release the film to their streaming service but chose a theatrical release after positive test screenings. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2022, followed by screenings at Beyond Fest on September 27. Now retitled Smile, the film hit theaters worldwide on September 30, 2022.
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Synopsis
Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) is a psychiatrist working at a psych ward in New Jersey with a traumatic childhood. One day, she meets Laura Weaver (Caitlin Stasey), a Ph.D. student claiming to see an entity appearing as people smiling. Despite Rose’s best efforts, Laura ends up convulsing before standing up, smiling, and taking her own life. After witnessing Laura’s suicide, Rose starts seeing people smiling and shouting she will die, making people question her mental stability. Things don’t get much better after her boss, Dr. Morgan Desai (Kal Penn), orders her to take a week-long break. As her mental state continues crumbling, Rose’s fiance Trevor (Jessie T. Usher) and sister Holly (Gillian Zinser) start fearing her. Rose is determined to figure out what’s causing all this and stop the entity, even as her life falls apart. Will she break the curse, or will she succumb to the Smile?
Review
When I first saw the trailer for Smile, I thought it looked ridiculous and would be laughed off the screen. Thankfully, I’m happy to report that this is not the case with this movie, although it has some flaws. Firstly, I have to give props to Sosie Bacon in the lead role, who carries the entire film. She has to sell her character’s mental anguish in almost every scene, pulling it off incredibly well. The rest of the cast does a fantastic job, notably Kal Penn and Kyle Gallner, who genuinely care for her. Admittedly, Gillian Zinser comes off a bit cartoonishly passive-aggressive as the older sister, coming off as unrealistically hateful. The movie tries to explore themes of childhood trauma and mental issues, and it mostly succeeds, but it occasionally stumbles. Still, the way they tackle these issues is impressive and strangely relatable.
Parker Finn shows a lot of promise, with this being his first feature-length film, utilizing some impressive camerawork. Tons of overhead views, upside shots, and sweeping camera movements help make the movie feel much more dynamic. While Finn does establish some suspense and tension, the film has a few too many jumpscares, especially false ones. Still, there are plenty of moments when something creepy pops up in the background without an intrusive music sting. The movie takes full advantage of its R-rating, spewing gallons of blood and going for the jugular. Admittedly, the film does borrow elements from other, much better horror movies like The Ring and It Follows. Still, considering initial expectations, this movie is surprisingly effective and a perfect way to start the Halloween season. Overall, Smile has problems, but its strong performances, terrifying scares, and impressive direction elevate the material.
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