With anticipation from a chillingly suspenseful trailer in mind, I find myself accidentally asking for two tickets to Scream. Right genre, wrong movie. We certainly have gained an affinity for the one word film titles in this genre. But unlike SCREAM, this film is not a nostalgic good time. First time feature director, Parker Finn, transports us into an unsettling, nonstop nightmare with his debut, SMILE, a thriller based on his 2020 short, Laura Hasn’t Slept.
Sosie Bacon (SCREAM TV SERIES, 13 REASONS WHY) is compelling and believable as Dr. Rose Cotter, an overworked and over dedicated therapist who is slowly unraveling at her own mental seams after witnessing a patient commit suicide in front of her; an event that sets off a chain reaction not-so-subtly unlike trauma itself. In fact, the themes can at times come off a bit heavy handed, but it knows its point and makes sure you do too. SMILE tackles the burden of trauma well, particularly generational trauma that continues to be passed on and amplified if not uncovered and correctly dealt with.
Another aspect of the film I thoroughly enjoyed was the familiar trope of slowly losing the trust of everyone around the protagonist as she deals with something seemingly mental but ultimately otherworldly. The way she held evidence and facts at hand yet couldn’t manage to paint a clear picture for anyone not really willing to listen was frustrating yet realistic. The frustration of not being heard or understood, let alone believed, resonated on a personal level of fear, but were nothing compared to the moments of not being able to distinguish reality from, well, whatever was happening to her. Moments of false starts and delusions were deeply unsettling and made for a joy ride of fear.
Kyle Gallner (SCREAM ‘22, JENNIFER’S BODY) and Caitlin Stasey (LAURA HASN’T SLEPT, FEAR INC.) stand out as great additions to the cast while Sosie’s fiancé Trevor, played by Jessie T. Usher (THE BOYS) falls flat with a one dimensional character we don’t miss halfway through.
Have we seen the formula before? Sure. Final Destination and The Ring both instantly come to mind, making SMILE familiar enough, but the impressive back and forth between what’s real or not keeps us at an arms length away from fully knowing it, a potential parallel to what trauma does to relationships
A moment in the third act involving too much CGI makes me fear for the overall scare factor and my rating of SMILE, but it builds to new heights and doesn’t let you fall. The ending is a perfect wrap up of a promising script. I look forward to what Parker Finn gives us next.
Til next time,
🔪Madame of Horror
Madame of Horror 
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