Dir. Parker Finn | Now Streaming On: Prime | Rating: 5/5

Going into Smile, I really expected a gimmicky, mass produced assembly line style horror. But to my very pleasant surprise, this is the only release that has blown me away this year, other than The Black Phone. ⁠
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From the cinematography and sound to theming and pace, Smile feels expertly crafted. Especially considering this is Parker Finn’s directorial debut, and an absolute home run of a debut at that. Through Rose, we watch a poignant and visceral deconstruction of the reality of living in a cruel and unforgiving world as a mentally ill person. Some reviewers have cited this theme as too on the nose, but for a real world issue that is so rarely broken down this boldly, I found it to be refreshing. ⁠
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Smile couples strategically placed jumpscares with unnerving imagery to capture several ends of the scare spectrum. The first kitchen scene alone had me sleeping with the lights on when I left the theater. I walked out of the theater intending to give this a four, considering it was a bit long winded and predictable at times. But I’ve settled on a five, for the way it stuck with me and succeeded at selling the real terror of what it feels like to fight for someone to listen to you, to believe you. ⁠
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The core message of this film centers around trauma and the way it permeates our lives, seemingly forever. I’m a believer in that we tend to favor media we can see ourselves in or that we relate to. I’ve spoken about my experiences with PTSD on my page in the past and to see it encapsulated in an innovative way on screen was validating. In short, Smile tackles both generational and situational trauma and the “face” so many of us hide our true darkness behind.⁠
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Fresh, beautifully shot, and skillfully handled for its subject matter – Smile may just be the debut of the year. Get to a theater to see this ASAP and keep Parker Finn on your radar, his work will definitely be one to watch. ⁠
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Know Before You Watch: Features death, blood, animal death, discussions and depictions of suicide. ⁠