Smile review (2022): A horror movie done right
Smile (2022)
Director: Parker Finn
Starring: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey, Kal Penn and Rob Morgan
Summary
The latest movie to release close to the Halloween season is the horror and psychological thriller “Smile”. The movie is based on a 2020 short film titled “Laura hasn’t slept” and follows a therapist who, after witnessing a traumatic suicide, starts experiencing increasingly disturbing events.
Story
The story has been suitably adapted for the big screen by the director Parker Finn based on his short film released in 2020. The story is tight, keeps the viewer constantly on the edge of their seats, and addresses some issues related to trauma. Though the film has many jump scares, these have been cleverly inserted in moments throughout the film to add to the feeling of dread and tension.
Acting
Sosie bacon starring as the lead, is in top form and should be commended for putting on a very believable performance that ably channels her capability to display a broad range of emotions. She is the true star of this movie, and without her eclectic performance, the movie would not have been so good. The supporting cast, including the well-known actor Kal Penn, doesn’t disappoint and puts forth a convincing performance.
Cinematography and music
The cinematography by Charlie Saroff is very good. It has a dreary tone that lets the viewer know of the impending doom. The music by Cristobal Tapia de Veer supports the tension-filled atmosphere and elevates the movie to new heights, especially in the jump scares and the climax.
Final Rating
Though the movie is not perfect by any means and does suffer from pacing issues towards the end, it nevertheless was a great experience in the cinema. In my opinion, it has finally brought back much-needed attention to mainstream horror movies that have been missing for the past year.
Grade: 7.7/10
If you enjoyed this article, please follow my publication (Raspberry Reviews — Medium) here on Medium for more reviews. If you wish to support my writing here on Medium and get unlimited access to the articles from me and thousands of other writers, do consider signing up using my referral link.
