Since Smile 2 has just been released in theaters I thought I’d review the first one which came out in September 2022 from Paramount Pictures and Parker Finn made his directorial debut. This film isn’t for everyone as it deals with suicide. However, there’s a twist like a lot of horror movies do as it’s more of being “cursed” by an evil demon.
Sosie Bacon and Jessie T. Usher
Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) works at in the psych ward at a hospital and witnesses her patient, Laura (Caitlin Stasey (Kindred Spirits [2019])), kill herself while smiling. She was a PhD student who witnessed a brutal suicide herself and then it seemed to rub off on her. This affected Rose greatly as this wasn’t the first time she witnessed this kind of tragedy as her mother took her life when Rose was a youngster. When she gets home she starts hearing things and her fiancé Trevor (Jessie T. Usher (Ride [2018])) startles her and tries to comfort her; but can’t shake what happened and starts investigating the suicide connection herself with the help of her ex, Joel (Kyle Gallner (Ghosts of War [2020])) who happens to be a cop who doesn’t believe her at first. Meanwhile she continues to spiral downward so much that when she’s at her nephew’s birthday party instead of giving him the train he asked for she wrapped her dead cat, Mustache. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back and her sister Holly (Gillian Zinser (Liars All [2013])) kicked her out and Trevor called Rose’s psychiatrist, who she’s seen in the past, Dr. Northcott (Robin Weigert (The Undying [2009])) but Rose feels betrayed and doesn’t want to talk to her unless she gives her medicine to help with the stress which she doesn’t obtain until she returns to doctor/patient sessions.
Robin Weigert
Rose realizes that she’s being followed by a demon and believes it’s the same one that haunted others until they killed themselves and now is after her. She convinces Joel that it’s real; they look into the matter and in fact this goes back many years that when someone witnesses a suicide then they themselves suffer the same fate. She finds out one person lived through the cycle and it’s only because he killed someone else so that’s what Rose tries to do but just can’t complete horrendous act. Instead, she goes into isolation in the remote family cabin but is she safe? That’s for you to see as I don’t want to spoil the ending.
A Dead Cat and Matthew Lamb
As I stated earlier this movie is not for everyone, however, I did find good aspects to the film. There were some interesting thriller-like moments and the fact that a demon attacks vulnerable people to get what he wants. You don’t actually see the demon until the end of the film. I’m a person that smiles a lot so maybe one should think twice if someone they meet gives an outrageously big smile if there’s something else hiding inside. Well, not really as this is just a movie, but an interesting premise and obviously it made enough as a sequel was made.
Sosie Bacon
TAGLINES:
- Once you see it, it’s too late.
- Pass it on.
- The new face of fear.
- What makes you smile?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15474916/
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
3C Rating: 6.0/10
*If you are experiencing mental issues please call this number: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline*