After witnessing a traumatic incident involving her patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) begins to experience a series of horrifying occurrences she cannot explain. And a lot of sinister smiles.
After one of the most memorable marketing stunts I’ve seen lately, I’ve been pretty excited to see Smile. And guys, I cannot stop smiling.
The hype is real and Smile exceeded all of my expectations.
Smile is blend of what makes horror movies so sickly satisfying. The film creatively weaves together terrifying visuals, claustrophobic cinematography, a jarring score, a compelling protagonist and intriguing narrative to create an impressive and deeply unsettling thrill ride.
Despite dabbling in some typical horror tropes adding a notion of predictability, at its core, Smile is an allegory for trauma. Sure, the metaphors are thinly veiled but it doesn’t make battling the demons of trauma and their masks any less terrifying.
But if you’re looking for more of your run-of-the-mill horror movie moments, you can rejoyce! Smile is stuffed with the best jump scares and haunting sequences I’ve experienced in recent horror films. I do wish the trailers didn’t reveal so much, but nevertheless the final act will leave your jaw on the floor.
Entertaining and suspenseful for its entire runtime, first time director, Parker Finn, has created one of the best horror films of 2022.
Go see this with a full audience. And if you want to enhance your experience more, go see it in Dolby.
You’re welcome. 😈
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