Nothing to “Smile” About

In Smile, psychologist Dr. Rose Cotter, played by Sosie Bacon, unexpectedly discovers the secrets that can hide behind a persons smile once seeing a patient commit suicide in front of her, all with a terrifying smile. By the end of the film, those secrets are better left uncovered with an untimely end.

I never knew how chilling an unprovoked smiling face could be to me until I saw this film and now I never want to receive one ever. Smile is the feature film debut for screenwriter and director Parker Finn, based on his earlier short film, Laura Can’t Sleep. Whilst Smile may not be an original, instant horror-classic, what it lacks is made up for through its effective scares that just might leave you audibly screaming — if you’re anything like the woman in the theater I saw it in.

The real defining aspect of this film is the absolutely stunning performance by its star, Sosie Bacon, as Rose. Whilst she is mostly hysterical and unhinged throughout the film, the pacing of her tumultuous downward spiral is believable and feels so natural.

While we watch her trying to convince her family, friends, coworkers and fiancé that she’s actually not losing her mind, her performance becomes unhinged as her once normal life falls apart around her. Through storylines of childhood trauma, her mothers drug overdose, her relationship with her overbearing sister and the levels of stress and emotional turmoil you watch Rose go through — it makes her an extremely interesting character.

Though Finn only touches the surface on these issues of mental health and trauma, the films main focus is obviously to horrify the audience. A sinister smile whilst committing suicide isn’t the only scene that will leave audiences shocked — all I’ll say is even kittens and children’s birthday parties aren’t safe in this film.

The ending of Smile falls flat for me in that what I expected to be a sequence of epic final scenes between Rose and what appears as her departed mother, is much too quickly wrapped up through a, though unexpected, ending that I thought needed more suspense and anticipation to hit harder.

As a film, I found Smile to have many similarities with other horror movies such as The Ring and It Follows, it isn’t very original or unpredictable within its storytelling. However, it’s unoriginality is made up for with a horrifyingly standout performance by Sosie Bacon. Despite its shortfalls, Smile will surely leave you with chills in your seat and maybe even rethinking what truly hides behind a smile.

Rating: ★★★

Smile is currently out in theaters.