Smile

Went to watch this movie with no prior expectations, or even having watched the teasers. The plot was unique, the production very nice. All of the cast did a great job at acting, especially the main actress. Can't wait to check out more of her work. There were a decent amount of solid jump scares throughout the movie, and I'm not one to easily get scared. The movie also had a very omnious feeling to it right from the start, which greatly elevated the experience of watching it. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, and consider it one of the better horror movies I've watched this year!

Sosie Bacon plays an incompetent therapist who mutters platitudes and stands about doing precisely nothing while bad things happen to her patients.

After demonstrating her inability to administer basic first aid to anyone within a fifty mile radius, she catches a case of the spooks. The spooks then follow her around being all creepy and not doing much, perhaps as an ironic form of mockery. None of the characters, supernatural or otherwise, seem to be any good at their jobs.

This is dimwitted nonsense, but it's excellently produced. Decent acting, good cinematography, tight editing and engaging direction. It's a good time, despite the braindead characters, copy-paste writing, appalling dialogue and endless cliches. It's an amusing and occassionally effective pulpy jumpy horror - a highly polished turd that is so shiny you stop noticing the smell.

Worth a watch, once, just for fun.

LOTS of jump scares and squeamish scenes as expected. Some original horror and a lot of "been there, done that" which is fun for a horror junkie like me. BUT. Weak conclusion. Seems like it literally just sets up for a cheesy sequel to come down the road. You'll see what I mean if you were looking for a more meaningful wrap to what could have been a great ending as this story builds and directs the viewer to what could bring to reason. Not worth a hefty price at the box office. Rent this one. Or wait till it hits one of the millions of streaming services these days. Actors were ok. Kal Penn is the most well known so that tells you how big these names are.

Rose Cotter is a therapist in an emergency psychiatric ward. One day, Laura, a young student, is brought in for observation. After witnessing the brutal suicide of her professor, she seems to be suffering from extreme post-traumatic stress disorder. As Rose talks to Laura, the girl gets increasingly frightened, claiming an unseen entity is about to kill her. Suddenly, she becomes calm, smiling unnaturally, before slitting her own throat. Afterwards, bizarre events convince Rose that the entity is now stalking her; and that she is its next victim.

An unnerving horror, Parker Finn's 'Smile' is a creepy examination of the lingering effects of trauma. Finn's narrative contends that trauma effects every aspect of one's life, and can be passed onto others through one's actions. Although comparisons to David Robert Mitchell's 'It Follows' are inevitable, Parker's handling of the film's thesis feels fresh and innovative. Traumatic effects- such as hallucinations, paranoia and guilt- are interwoven cleverly into Finn's narrative, adding to the psychological horror therein.

The film is suspenseful, having a heady atmosphere of dread throughout. Although the ending is underwhelming, the journey there is an engaging, sinister one. Finn makes excellent use of jump-scares- which often feel like a cheap way to make viewers jolt. They don't here, as they intensify the paranoid state Rose is in. His characterisation is strong, as is his dialogue, and we believe and sympathise with Rose; even if we're unsure whether or not we can trust her version of reality. Culturally relevant and unsettling, Finn's film makes for a wild and devilish ride.

For a horror to be successful, good sound design is necessary; Finn's sound department have created an immersive and disquieting environment of terror. Cristobal Tapia de Veer's score adds to the discomforting atmosphere, becoming chaotically dissonant as Rose descends further into paranoid fear. Reminiscent at times of Dario Argento and Goblin's score for 'Suspiria,' Tapia de Veer's work enhances the film's impact immensely.

Similarly, Charlie Sarroff's unconventional cinematography heightens the picture's uneasy ambiance. Distinct and creative, his utilisation of low angles, handheld shots and zooms fosters a sense of unpredictable instability. Under Finn's direction, his implementation of lighting creates contrast and mood, while his composition of images also adds to the film's horror. He uses symmetry, asymmetry and negative space to create imbalance, tension and emptiness; depending on the needs of the scene. Striking and memorable, Sarroff's work is captivatingly disturbing.

Furthermore, Lester Cohen's minimalist production design creates a stark, cold world for Rose to navigate. Cohen uses simple, sparse sets and props to create a sense of realism, emptiness and isolation. Moreover, Alexis Forte's costume design adds to the film's horror, as her use of colours, fabrics and differing styles creates contrast, character and symbolism. Additionally, the picture is well edited by Elliot Greenberg, whose work gives 'Smile' a rapid, tense pace that vastly intensifies proceedings.

Sosie Bacon stars as Rose, delivering an impassioned, nuanced performance, acutely showing Rose's psychological disintegration. Feverish and powerful, Bacon's work is not to be forgotten. Alongside her, Kyle Gallner plays Jake, a cop who is Rose's ex-boyfriend, and the only one who believes her story. A steady presence throughout, Gallner does fine work in a role lesser actors would have overplayed. Robin Weigert and Gillian Zinser- as Rose's psychiatrist and sister, respectively- both impress with their range and ability, while Caitlin Stasey is terrific in the all too small role of Laura; portraying her immense fear astutely.

An entertaining, tense horror about the devastating effects of trauma, Parker Finn's directorial debut 'Smile' lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. Boasting an engaging narrative dealing maturely with its themes, an atmospheric score and striking production design, it is a riveting watch. Although the ending is anticlimactic, the compelling performances from the cast- especially Sosie Bacon- keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Creepily captivating, this film will surely not leave you with a frown.

I was pretty hyped for this movie, not going to lie. I wasn't expecting some 11-time Oscar winning masterpiece, but I did expect an intense, edge-of-your-seat scarefest like that of 'Insidious' or 'Sinister', where the movie is dripping with creepy unsettlingness from start to finish. 'Smile' is not that. What 'Smile' does well is build up the jump scare, but unfortunately (and more importantly), 'Smile' forgets to deliver the scare in each of these sequences it repeats throughout its way overlong 2-hour runtime.

Example, the main character will be staring down a dark hallway while the music tenses and camera slowly zooms in, and then the phone will ring SO LOUD. This is NOT a scare! This is just lazy and, above all, annoying. These "jump scares" happen throughout the ENTIRE movie and are extremely obnoxious. I can respect jump scares if there's actually something scary at the end of the build-up, not just an obnoxiously loud noise that has nothing to do with the tension that was just wasted. An example of an ACTUAL jump scare would be like when the Lipstick Demon appears at the table for the first time in 'Insidious'. THAT is a warranted jump scare.

The plot of 'Smile' and the way the characters unravel it is almost identical to 'The Ring'. No new ground is broken, which was expected, but I at least expected a little more originality than a copy/paste story of 'The Ring' with a good amount of 'It Follows' copied as well, yet is far less than both those movies.

What I thought was pretty good was the ending, when the demon finally reveals itself. The design of the demon and what it does to its victims is actually pretty great/gruesome. Unfortunately, by the time we're introduced to the Smile demon, the movie's over. Such a shame, as this movie could have been a balls-to-the-wall nail-biting chiller. The score for this movie was hands-down the best and creepiest part. The music reminded me of 'Sinister's music, as in there was something off about it, making it unnerving.

Overall, this movie has been done before and done MUCH better. Has it's moments, but drags on without any scares for far too long.

6/10.