REVIEW: 'SMILE' Is a Never Ending Nightmare (FANTASTIC FEST 2022)
On September 22nd, 2022 I was fortunate enough to be in attendance of the world premiere of 'Smile' at Fantastic Fest. The 2022 horror film by Parker Finn started off a short film in 2020 under the title 'Laura Hasn't Slept' and was quickly adapted into a feature film.
Now, I'll be the first to admit I was a bit skeptical of the grit this film had based on the trailers. It looked cheesy and filled with fluff jump scares, not to mention it felt like the trailers were practically giving away the whole film. However it pleases me to tell you all that this is not at all the truth. Rather than a bland stereotypical PG-13 one off horror flick, 'Smile' tells a story that feels right out of a disturbing nightmare you can't seem to wake up from.
Kicking things off with a solid opening, the film eases us into the antagonistic force at play and really builds an emotional case to care for the main character of Dr. Rose Cotter, played by Sosie Bacon (Charlie Says, Mare of Eastown). Once things start however, the film dives headfirst into the depths of skin crawling tensity that grip you until the credits roll.
Aided by a hauntingly wonderful score by Cristobal Tapia de Veer (Black Mirror, The Girl With All The Gifts), the film goes through so many creepy and tense scenes, some of which had me clutching my arm grips and sitting on the edge of my seat.
One odd point in the films overall composition is in various parts of the script some scenes would come across as almost funny. I understand having to break the tension once in awhile, but it felt like it was happening a bit too often throughout the film. However on a different side of the coin I really enjoyed the structure of the film, there were many pay offs to the set ups I didn't even catch in the moment. There's also points in the films structure which intentionally trick the audience, almost gas lighting us to get us down mentally to the main characters level, whose sanity is winding throughout the entire film.
Past its creepy nightmarish demeanor, there is a truly interesting subtext to be had about trauma, how we carry it, and how that affects others.
At the end of the day, 'Smile' is a pleasant surprise. It's a tense and horrifying nightmare that constantly has you wondering if what you're seeing is real, offering a skin crawling feeling that I find far too rare these days.
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