smile movie review in hindi

When the horror histories of the 2010s are written, the decade will be associated with trauma metaphors the way the ‘80s are with slasher movies. And although it comes on the cusp of a new decade, the new Paramount wide-release horror movie “Smile” fits right in with its PTSD-induced kin. The difference here is that the monster is barely a metaphor at all: The demon, or evil spirit, or whatever it is—the movie is vague on this point—literally feeds on, and is spread by, trauma.

Specifically, the vague something that dogs Dr. Rose Cotter ( Sosie Bacon ) throughout “Smile” likes the taste of people who have witnessed someone else dying by suicide—gruesome, painful, bloody suicide, by garden shears and oncoming trains and the shattered fragments of a ceramic vase in a hospital intake room. That’s where Rose briefly meets Laura ( Caitlin Stasey ), a PhD student who’s brought to the psychiatric emergency ward where Rose works, shaking and terrified that something is out to get her. “It looks like people, but it’s not a person,” Laura explains, saying that this thing has been following her ever since she witnessed one of her professors bludgeoning himself to death with a hammer four days earlier. At the end of the extended dialogue scene that opens the film, Laura turns to Rose with a psychotic grin on her face and proceeds to slit her own throat.

This would unsettle anyone, but it especially bothers Rose given that Rose’s own mother died by suicide many years earlier. That lingering trauma, and the fears and stigma that surround it, form the film’s most intelligent thematic thread: Rose’s fiance Trevor ( Jessie T. Usher ) admits that he’s researched inherited mental illness online, and harsh terms like “nutjobs,” “crazies,” and “head cases” are used to describe mentally ill people throughout the film. The idea that she might not actually be plagued by the same entity that killed Laura, and that her hallucinations, lost time, and emotional volatility might have an internal cause, seems to bother Rose more than the concept of being cursed. The people around Rose, including Trevor, her therapist Dr. Northcott ( Robin Weigert ), her boss Dr. Desai ( Kal Penn ), and her sister Holly (Gillian Zinzer), certainly seem to think the problem is more neurochemical than supernatural—that is, until it’s way too late. 

The only one who believes Rose is her ex, Joel ( Kyle Gallner ), a cop who’s been assigned to Laura’s case. Their tentative reunion opens the door to the film’s mystery element, which makes up much of “Smile’s” long, but not overly long, 115-minute run time. The film’s storyline follows many of your typical beats of a supernatural horror-mystery, escalating from a quick Google (the internet-age equivalent of a good old-fashioned library scene) to an in-person interview with a traumatized, incarcerated survivor of whatever this malevolent entity actually is. Brief reference is made to a cluster of similar events in Brazil, opening up the door to a sequel.

“Smile’s” greatest asset is its relentless, oppressive grimness: This is a film where children and pets are as vulnerable as adults, and the horror elements are bloody and disturbing to match the dark themes. This unsparing sensibility is enhanced by Bacon’s shaky, vulnerable performance as Rose: At one point, she screams at Trevor, “I am not crazy!,” then mumbles an apology and looks down at her shoes in shame. At another, her wan smile at her nephew’s birthday party stands as both a bleak counterpoint to the sick grin the entity’s victims see before they die (thus the film’s title), as well as a relatable moment for viewers who have reluctantly muddled their way through similar gatherings in the midst of a depressive episode. 

Sadly, despite a compelling lead and strong craft behind the camera—the color palette, in shades of lavender, pink, teal, and gray, is capably chosen and very of the moment—“Smile” is diminished by the sheer fact that it’s not as fresh a concept as it might seem. This is director Parker Finn ’s debut feature as a writer and director, based on a short film that won a jury award at SXSW 2020. To spin that into a non-franchise wide-release movie from a major studio like Paramount within two years—in a pandemic, no less!—is an impressive achievement, to be sure. 

But in padding out the concept from an 11-minute short into a nearly two-hour movie, “Smile” leans too heavily not only on formulaic mystery plotting, but also on horror themes and imagery lifted from popular hits like “ The Ring ” and “ It Follows .” David Robert Mitchell ’s 2014 film is an especially prominent, let’s say, influence on “Smile,” which, combined with its placement on the “it’s really about trauma” continuum, make this a less bracing movie experience than it might have been had it broken the mold more aggressively. It does introduce Finn as a capable horror helmer, one with a talent for an elegantly crafted jump scare and a knack for making a viewer feel uneasy and upset as they exit the theater—both advantages for a film like this one. But fans excited to see an “original” horror film hitting theaters should temper those expectations. 

This review was filed from the premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 23rd. It opens on September 30th.

Katie Rife is a freelance writer and critic based in Chicago with a speciality in genre cinema. She worked as the News Editor of  The A.V. Club  from 2014-2019, and as Senior Editor of that site from 2019-2022. She currently writes about film for outlets like  Vulture, Rolling Stone, Indiewire, Polygon , and  RogerEbert.com.

• Sosie Bacon as Dr. Rose Cotter
• Kyle Gallner as Joel
• Caitlin Stasey as Laura Weaver
• Jessie T. Usher as Trevor
• Rob Morgan as Robert Talley
• Kal Penn as Dr. Morgan Desai
• Robin Weigert as Dr. Madeline Northcott

Cinematographer

• Charlie Sarroff
• Cristobal Tapia de Veer
• Elliot Greenberg
• Parker Finn

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Watch Smile with a subscription on Hulu, Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Deeply creepy visuals and a standout Sosie Bacon further elevate Smile 's unsettling exploration of trauma, adding up to the rare feature that satisfyingly expands on a short.

You may need to pay close attention in order to keep up with the story, but fans of slow-burning horror should leave Smile with a grin.

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Smile Movie Review: An unsettling horror film that fails to realise its true potential

Rating: ( 2.5 / 5).

Horror, as a genre, is in quite an interesting space in recent times. Horror films are nowadays striving hard to do more than just jump scares and camera tricks to evoke fear-induced rush of adrenaline and dopamine. If the recently released Barbarian excelled at it, Smile manages to replicate it to a certain degree of success. Keeping in with the tradition of multiple cult classics under the genre, Smile is the story of a person, in our case, psychiatrist Rose Cotter (a brilliant Sosie Bacon) who has to deal with the increasingly disturbing and daunting supernatural experiences that only she encounters. Not only does she have to get to the bottom of it and "break the chain", but she also has to convince her fiancé, family and everyone around that she is still mentally sound. Smile , directed by Parker Finn in his feature directorial debut, based on his 2020 short film Laura Hasn't Slept , intertwines the present story of Rose with her traumatic childhood that involved the death of her mother. Finn conscientiously laces the plot with information that's privy to both the audience and Rose, in the current timeline and with the ones from her past that she wants to bury beneath the sands of time.

Cast: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Kal Penn

Director: Parker Finn The plot itself bears similarities to several cult classics such as The Ring , It Follows and Hereditary , but that doesn't take away the fact that Smile is unsettling in its own twisted yet intriguing manner. In multiple instances, the film holds a mirror to how mental health is perceived in today's society and the need for the masses to understand its importance. While Finn never really gets past scratching the surface, where his film excels is in the performance zone and the brilliant score that elevates the tension of certain scenes. Actor Kevin Bacon is a treat to watch in horror/thrillers and he has a slew of horror classics such as Friday the 13th , Tremors and Hollow Man under his belt. His daughter and actor Sosie Bacon, with a haunting performance, has proven that the apple doesn't really fall far away from the tree. As the film progresses and Rose's condition worsens both physically and mentally, Bacon succeeds in portraying the character who has to be shocked yet prepared for the new lows her character hits. Smile happens to be one of those rare entries where the chills work but leaves you wanting more. The film, especially in the later half, slows down and takes the road often taken at the expense of what really worked in favour of it in the first place - the scares. Otherwise, the film offers very less and that includes its halfhearted attempt at addressing the stigma around mental health and unprocessed agony. Smile has a handful of scares that almost make us jump off our seats only to sink back into it with a grin of that satisfactory 'you got me' on our faces... but what we signed up for weren't mere grins.

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Smile: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date in US 30 September 2022
• Release Date in India 18 November 2022
• Language English
• Genre Horror
• Duration 1h 55min
• Cast Sosie Bacon, Jessie Usher, Kal Penn, Rob Morgan, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey, Judy Reyes, Gillian Zinser, Kevin Keppy, Nick Arapoglou, Sara Kapner, Jack Sochet
• Director Parker Finn
• Writer Parker Finn
• Cinematography Charlie Sarroff
• Music Cristobal Tapia de Veer
• Producer Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, Robert Salerno
• Production Temple Hill Entertainment, Paramount Players

About Smile Movie (2022)

After witnessing a bizzare and traumatising event involving a patient, Dr. Rose Carter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing inexplainable and frightening things.

The horrified doctor must revisit her past to confront this new horrific reality, as her brain tries to turn on her.

The psychological thriller is based on debut director Parker Finn's 2020 short film "Laura Hasn't Slept".

Smile Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Smile Movie Trailer

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Smile Cast & Character Guide

Smile 2: release date, cast, story, trailer & everything we know, smile: 10 movies & tv shows where you've seen the cast before.

• Smile uses horror to explore how trauma destroys lives, leaving an impact long after the movie ends.
• The entity in Smile represents emotional pain, forcing victims to confront their fears and inner demons.
• The unexpected ending of Smile challenges typical horror tropes, adding depth and elevating the film's impact.

The Smile ending explained that grief and trauma could destroy anyone's life. Written and directed by Parker Finn and based on his short film Laura Hasn't Slept , Smile centers on Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a therapist who begins experiencing hallucinations after witnessing a patient take her own life. The patient, Laura (Caitlin Stacey), saw her professor die by suicide, after which she became the target of a presence with a sinister smile. By the end of the movie, anyone who wanted to see Rose make it out safely ended up sadly disappointed.

Smile leaves the audience wondering if there is any way to stop the terrible curse. Similar to movies like The Ring or It Follows , the Smile entity could almost be seen as fate itself — a harrowing prospect as it continues to move on from victim to victim. However, the true reason Smile is so chilling is its exploration of how trauma and grief can destroy a person from within until all hope is gone. That is why the Smile ending explained that things don't always work out, an idea sticking with viewers long after the last scene played out.

Smile, Terrifier, & 10 Movie Series That Could Be The Next Big Horror Franchise

The modern renaissance of the horror genre has made it possible for at least a dozen movie series to become major franchises in the future.

The Curse In Smile Explained

A mysterious entity passes the smile curse from victim to victim.

The Smile movie explained the effects of trauma through a horror lens, featuring intricate and tragic themes that add real layers to the meaning of the movie. Following Laura's death, Rose starts experiencing visions of her own and begins seeing the smile-themed creature. This strains her relationships with her sister and her fiancé, Trevor ( The Boys ' Jessie T. Usher ), upending her life and giving her a countdown to her seemingly inevitable demise. Looking for answers, the movie sees Rose seek the help of her police officer ex, Joel (Kyle Gallner).

Smile's central creature isn't only meant to frighten, but is a metaphor for emotional pain, delivering poignant messages about the often-inescapable nature of trauma

Together, they discover that Smile-related cases can be traced back to multiple people, none of whom lived more than a week after watching another person die by suicide. Rose realizes the deaths are actually part of a curse, with each person dying in front of a witness and passing the affliction to them. Later in Smile , Joel and Rose eventually come across a prisoner named Robert Talley (Rob Morgan), who reveals that the entity pursuing Rose feeds on trauma. Her situation continues to worsen after that until she is forced to confront the creature on her own.

Smile puts Rose's terrifying experiences into question as her life falls apart. Such structure allows the movie to deliver consistent misdirections, which aid in constructing its unnerving narrative and psychological twists. Smile's central creature isn't only meant to frighten, but is a metaphor for emotional pain, delivering poignant messages about the often-inescapable nature of trauma, exemplified by the fate of Rose, as the Smile ending explained. Smile is a complicated story to unpack, both due to its mental-health subtexts and unexpected closing scenes. Smile has been likened to The Ring , but it offers a very different perspective.

Smile: What Is The Entity & Why Does It Make Its Victims Grin Like That?

The entity's sinister grin in Smile makes it one of the most terrifying demons in horror movie history and arguably also one of the most powerful.

What Happens In The Smile Ending?

Rose passes the curse on to joel.

The Smile movie explained the entity needs another person to witness her death to carry on its curse, Rose secludes herself in her childhood home. There, the entity takes the form of her mother, revealing that, after overdosing, she asked a then 10-year-old Rose to call for help. Rose declined and her mother died.

Rose forgives herself for her inaction in childhood, but that doesn't deter the creature, which transforms into a monstrous version of Rose's mother. She sets the creature on fire and runs out of the house. With the curse seemingly over, she visits Joel in the Smile ending to apologize for pushing him out of her life. In what could be considered one of Smile 's best reveals , however, Joel turns out to be the creature in disguise, revealing that Rose never actually left the house and is instead trapped in her own mind.

The Smile ending closes as the camera focuses on Rose's death being reflected in Joel's terrified eye, showing that her fate will continue to happen to other people.

In the real world, Joel arrives at Rose's childhood home, and when he enters, she turns around with an evil grin on her face. Rose then takes her own life in front of Joel, effectively passing the curse on to him. The Smile ending closes as the camera focuses on Rose's death being reflected in Joel's terrified eyes, showing that her fate will continue to happen to other people.

Here is a guide to the cast and characters in the hit Paramount horror movie Smile, which offers a fresh take on the transferrable curse subgenre.

Why Was The Entity Represented By A Smile?

The nightmarish grins are a metaphor for false optimism in the face of trauma.

The connective thread between all the victims in Smile is the sinister grin they exhibit before their deaths. This is tied to the entity feeding on trauma. As explained by another one of the Smile movie's main characters, Rose's therapist, Dr. Madeline Northcott (Robin Weigert), trauma is manageable but doesn't fully go away.

Smile serves as an allegory of emotional suffering being masked by fabricated displays of happiness and optimism.

Smile serves as an allegory of emotional suffering being masked by fabricated displays of happiness and optimism. The victims commit horrific acts with forced smiles on their faces. Their unnerving expression is the entity's twisted way of mocking human response to psychological suffering, and possibly done to further traumatize its victims.

Smile Is An Allegory Of Trauma And Mental Health

The sinister visuals have a deeper meaning.

The Smile movie explained the metaphor for a person's control over their mind in response to trauma, and the pressure people feel to cover up their struggles with fake happiness. As the creature makes it clear to Rose during the Smile ending, she is a prisoner of her own mind. That's shown throughout the film as she gradually loses her grip on reality, and those close to her attempt to distance themselves from her. It's further evidenced by the fact that, over the course of Smile 's story, the entity seemingly never physically attacks Rose. Instead, it's the various visions it gives her that lead her to hurt herself.

Even when the creature takes the form of Rose's therapist and attacks her, it's left ambiguous whether it actually happened, or if she hallucinated it. The film heavily hints at Rose's predicaments occurring only as a result of something she herself did (due to the entity's hold over her), shown by her experiencing horrific visions in one place and coming to seemingly hours later in another. Much like all the other Smile movie victims, Rose slowly lost authority over her mind and body, becoming increasingly dangerous to both herself and those around her until the moment of her death.

Smile 's central creature is powered by trauma, and its curse's method of transmission hides a poignant message about the effects of emotional suffering.

The victims of the Smile creature lacking complete control over themselves may also explain why they died in no less than a week after being cursed. Though the semi-specific time frame isn't truly explained, it may be connected to the film's emphasis on the importance of mental health, as the victims losing their psychological stability quickly deteriorate, ultimately leading to their deaths. In this, Smile can be seen to reflect how mental health issues are often disregarded as less severe than physical health issues, and can sometimes be unfairly treated as a result.

Smile 's central creature is powered by trauma, and its curse's method of transmission hides a poignant message about the effects of emotional suffering. The Smile curse is quite literally trauma being passed on from one emotionally hurt person to another, as something many victims have in common is witnessing a loved one die. The Smile film depicts emotional distress as a lethal virus, similar in nature to the entity in 2015's It Follows , with individuals transmitting it in one of two ways.

On one hand, there are those who pass it on without realizing it — those who are completely possessed by the entity and are forced to take their own lives in front of a prospective carrier. Then, there are those who knowingly inflict their pain on others in a fruitless effort to rid themselves of their predicament, such as Robert Talley, who murdered someone to free himself from the curse. As such, Smile 's horror entity could be interpreted as the pain and sorrow brought on by handling trauma in unhealthy ways — with the smile itself then being an emblem of this.

How Will The Smile Sequel Build On The Ending?

Smile 2 is currently in development.

Smile 2 has been confirmed with an October 2024 release date. However, one element that's not been revealed is how the Smile sequel will build on the unforgettable ending of the original. The Smile ending explained that the entity continues its insidious crusade, specifically through Joel. Thus, the movie's mythology is well-suited for a continuation. However, Smile 2 may not necessarily directly follow the ending of the original . As writer-director Parker Finn explained to Polygon :

"I wanted the movie to really exist for its own sake. I wanted to tell this character's story. That was what was really important to me. I think there's a lot of fun to be had in the world of Smile. But certainly, as a filmmaker, I never want to retread anything I've already done. So, if there was ever to be more of Smile , I'd want to make sure it was something unexpected, and different than what Smile is."

Even if the sequel doesn't take the follow-up approach by continuing from the Smile ending with Joel, there's still potential for a unique horror movie franchise. Smile presents a fascinating and terrifying concept, and continuing its mythology certainly has mileage to be explored further. The curse is an ever-present issue that could be found anywhere at any point in time, which perfectly positions this world for future chapters.

Smile 2 has been confirmed by Paramount and is due in 2024 - here's everything we know about what's next when The Smile Entity returns to theaters.

How Sosie Bacon Explains The Smile Ending

The smile actress knew rose couldn't commit murder, even to save her own life.

Sosie Bacon knew going into Smile that she would not be the Final Girl, as the Smile movie ending explained that there was no way she could escape the curse without murder. However, Bacon stated she was glad the movie didn't have a happy ending (via THR ). When talking about Rose's final decision being death by suicide or killing someone else to survive, she admitted that she doesn't personally like to think about it. However, she points out that the Smile movie explained that Rose would not have been happy if she killed anyone.

"It’s just so sad for her. She went into the house knowing that she would either get eaten by the monster or that she would burn the house down, if she could. But at least she wasn’t going to pass [the curse] on, which was the idea. So that was her value, and I was more sad for her that she didn’t get either of those things. But I think I would’ve been more bummed out if this movie had a happy ending."

New horror movie Smile is set to release September 30th, and features many familiar faces, including Sosie Bacon and Kyle Gallner.

The Smile Ending Makes It Special

The final twist in smile elevated the 2022 horror.

The Smile ending explained that trauma can really define a person, and the way this movie ended really helped elevate it from a basic horror film into something special with a message behind its scares. Having a surprise twist ending is a staple of horror movies, but it doesn't always work.

In some cases, it is a gimmick, such as the shocking arrival of Jason at the end of the first Friday the 13th movie. However, other times it turns everything in the movie on its head. When done right, it can turn a good movie into a great one. The Smile ending twist works in the same way that the ending of Descent made it an even better horror movie.

When it comes to The Descent , the better ending was the alternate ending shown in the UK. In that ending, Sarah thinks she escaped the mutated creatures. However, she never escaped and viewers saw she was still in the caverns, never escaping her fate. Her mind shut down and gave her a false happy ending.

This is also why the Smile ending was so impactful, as it made the audience believe Rose had won, only to pull back the curtains and reveal she never escaped and was doomed. That false sense of security made Smile one of the better horror movies of 2022.

How The Smile Ending Was Received

The final moments of smile open up some interesting discussions.

Smile was received relatively well by audiences and critics alike, as evidenced by its 80% Tomatometer score and 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes . On the whole, the Smile ending didn't factor into responses too much either way. Those who rated the movie highly did so on the basis of the performances, the incredibly creepy and disturbing visuals, and Smile 's many pulse-pounding jump-scares. There were those who enjoyed the twist during the finale, and the plot clearly being left open for Smile 2, though these weren't the highlights or seen as integral to the movie's success.

On the other hand, the negative reviews of Smile were based on it being somewhat formulaic. There are easy comparisons to make to other horror movies like The Ring and Occulus. The ending did play a part here, but it wasn't seen as a film-ruining finale. It was more that, in the subgenre of movies about curses, the idea of the curse being passed on during the final scenes has already been done. There aren't any reviews that suggest Smile handled this moment badly, it's more that some critics and viewers simply expected more.

One of the most interesting negative reviews of Smile that mentions the ending comes from Dread Central , as it critiques the mental health message and handling of the concept of trauma rather than any complaints about a by-the-numbers narrative. The review comes from horror critic Mike Snoonian, who is also a mental health professional:

As a clinician, I can’t help but cringe at the image of trauma so overwhelming a person that they have no choice but to let it overtake them.

It's an interesting take on the ending of Smile, and one that's worth considering when discussing the movie's wider themes and deeper message about the nature of trauma. However, on the whole, the ending of Smile seemed to be received relatively well, and it's always intriguing when criticisms of a movie prompt a wider discussion (rather than it simply being dismissed as sub-par or disappointing).

A psychological horror film written and directed by newcomer Parker Finn, Smile is the story of a woman who, after witnessing a traumatic incident involving a patient, terrifying incidents keep occurring in her life. Sosie Bacon stars as Dr. Rose Cotter, the woman afflicted by these new realistic nightmares. The horrifying occurrences happen so frequently that Rose realizes she'll have to confront past trauma to escape this new reality and survive the supernatural forces trying to kill her. 

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‘Smile’ movie review: A disturbingly-messy tale of trauma and mental illness

Despite some of its missteps, the horror film’s theme of inheriting mental illness and walking down a path that you have lived dreading all your life is poignant.

Published - November 19, 2022 04:38 pm IST

Sosie Bacon as Rose in ‘Smile’

The world is a stage and we are all storytellers. We tell stories about ourselves to ourselves; stories that hold the power to either liberate us or trap us. Smile , directed by Parker Finn, chronicles a set stories like these. 

Before going to the theatres, I’d recommend you take the trigger warnings surrounding suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) very seriously.

After witnessing a patient die by suicide at an emergency psychiatric hospital in a gruesome manner, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing terrifying and bizarre occurrences, similar to the ones the patient had gone through right before her death. In her attempt at trying to investigate what seem like supernatural, unexplainable circumstances, she goes down a path that forces her to probe her sense of self, unresolved traumas, and guilt-ridden demons. 

The concept of someone going through the most harrowing events, with a smile plastered on their face, makes for a great metaphor on the lives of patients suffering from mental illness, which is often invisible to the outside world. Holding out till the very end of the movie is rewarding; the 15-minute odd climax sequence of Rose in her childhood house, confronting her demons is the right mix of body horror and supernatural. 

Sosie Bacon is terrifying and pitiful in equal parts and helps strengthen the conviction of the movie in relaying a message on mental health. Kyle Dallner as the overbearing ex who refuses to respect boundaries deserves a special mention. 

Of all the characters who attempt the dead-eyed creepy smile, Caitlin Stasey hits that nail on the head of the brief and succeeds in sending a chill down your spine (no wonder it is featured in most of the posters).

Smile ’s messy treatment of mental illness and trauma throughout one hour fifty-five minutes seems to be intentional and is bound to leave you feeling uncomfortable. The theme of inheriting mental illness and walking down a path that you have lived dreading all your life is poignant. 

But. The jump-scares (sigh). The liberal use of jump-scares takes away from the seriousness of the issue at hand, and feels like the creators are almost mocking Rose’s condition. The tone of the film is also reminiscent of the early 2000s horror movies; gory, campy, and logic-defying. While some horror movies’ demand to suspend logic works in their favour, it is not the case with Smile. By suspending logic, they only make the protagonist and her condition look look bad.

Still, despite some of its missteps, Smile is a brave attempt at confronting mental illness in a horror film and might make for a good movie to watch on a night out with your college buddies.

Smile is currently running in theatres

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English cinema / World cinema / cinema / mental illness / reviews

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After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.

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Where does Smile rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Smile is 114 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 32 places since yesterday. In India, it is currently more popular than Good Will Hunting but less popular than Inception.

Streaming charts last updated: 1:12:48 pm, 29/09/2024

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• What is the release date of 'Smile'? Release date of Sosie Bacon and Jessie Usher starrer 'Smile' is 2022-11-18.
• Who are the actors in 'Smile'? 'Smile' star cast includes Sosie Bacon, Jessie Usher, Robin Weigert and Caitlin Stasey.
• Who is the director of 'Smile'? 'Smile' is directed by Parker Finn.
• What is Genre of 'Smile'? 'Smile' belongs to 'Horror,Thriller,Mystery' genre.
• In Which Languages is 'Smile' releasing? 'Smile' is releasing in English.

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'Smile' movie review: an unsettling horror film that fails to realise its true potential

Horror, as a genre, is in quite an interesting space in recent times. Horror films are striving hard to do more than jump scares and camera tricks to evoke a fear-induced rush of adrenaline and dopamine. If the recently released Barbarian excelled at it, Smile manages to replicate it to a certain degree of success.

Keeping in with the tradition of multiple cult classics under the genre, Smile is the story of a person, in our case, psychiatrist Rose Cotter (a brilliant Sosie Bacon) who has to deal with the increasingly disturbing and daunting supernatural experiences that only she encounters. Not only does she have to get to the bottom of it and “break the chain”, but she also has to convince her fiancé, family, and everyone around that she is still mentally sound.

Smile, directed by Parker Finn in his feature directorial debut, based on his 2020 short film Laura Hasn’t Slept, intertwines the present story of Rose with her traumatic childhood that involved the death of her mother. Finn conscientiously laces the plot with information that’s privy to both the audience and Rose, in the current timeline and with the ones from her past that she wants to bury beneath the sands of time.

The plot itself bears similarities to several cult classics such as The Ring, It Follows, and Hereditary, but that doesn’t take away the fact that Smile is unsettling in its own twisted yet intriguing manner. In multiple instances, the film holds a mirror to how mental health is perceived in today’s society and the need for the masses to understand its importance. While Finn never gets past scratching the surface, where his film excels is in the performance zone and the brilliant score that elevates the tension of certain scenes.

Actor Kevin Bacon is a treat to watch in horror/thrillers and he has a slew of horror classics such as Friday the 13th, Tremors, and Hollow Man under his belt. His daughter and actor Sosie Bacon, with a haunting performance, has proven that the apple doesn’t fall far away from the tree. As the film progresses and Rose’s condition worsens both physically and mentally, Bacon succeeds in portraying the character who has to be shocked yet prepared for the new lows her character hits.

Smile happens to be one of those rare entries where the chills work but leaves you wanting more. The film, especially in the later half, slows down and takes the road often taken at the expense of what really worked in favour of it in the first place—the scares. Otherwise, the film offers very less and that includes its halfhearted attempt at addressing the stigma around mental health and unprocessed agony. Smile has a handful of scares that almost make us jump off our seats only to sink back into it with a grin of that satisfactory ‘you got me’ on our faces... but what we signed up for weren’t mere grins.

Film: Smile Cast: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Kal Penn Director: Parker Finn Rating: 2.5/5 stars

(This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

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About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures ... Read all About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her past. About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her past.

• Parker Finn
• Kyle Gallner
• Naomi Scott
• Ray Nicholson

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• Drew Barrymore

• Hair Stylist

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• Trivia Kyle Gallner is the only actor to reprise his role from the first film so far.

Skye Riley : [to the Smile Entity] You're not in control, I am!

• Connections Follows Smile (2022)
• October 18, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Ellenville, New York, USA
• Paramount Pictures
• Paramount Players
• Temple Hill Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 2 hours 12 minutes

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