Smile (2022) Movie Review

One of the biggest films of 2022 has been Paramount’s horror film ‘Smile’ which has grossed over $105 million in America and took the worldwide box office by storm as well with an additional $111 million grossed. After watching the trailer for this film, I doubt anyone thought it would be the sleeper hit it turned out to be. The trailer didn’t do any favours for the film, making it look like a run of the mill horror film that we have seen hundreds of times before, but ‘Smile’ turned out to be anything but that. Smile follows Dr. Rose Cotter who starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain, after a traumatic and disturbing incident with a patient. Based on a short film by writer and director Parker Finn, titled ‘Laura Hasn’t Slept’, ‘Smile’ may just be the biggest surprise of 2022. 

‘Smile’ was a thrilling ride from start to finish, whilst the film doesn’t reinvent the genre and does borrow a lot from other films such as ‘Truth of Dare’ and ‘Ouija’ in particular, the film improves on these elements to create something that is truly terrifying. The imagery of the film is creepy, and the jump scares are effective. I usually shy away from horror films that use jump scares, as they don’t have a lasting effect after the film finishes, however, Smile pairs these jump scares with effective imagery that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Parker Finn does a great job here, proving that he has ample skill behind the camera, using long takes to create tension, and effective uses of scares, spacing them out well. 

The performances here are all solid as well, with Kevin Bacon’s daughter ‘Sosie Bacon’ flexing her acting muscle and showing that she is a true talent in front of the camera. She grounds the film in reality, with her character being a great anchor to the supernatural elements that make the film scary. The supporting cast are all great as well, with Australian actress Caitlin Stasey (Tomorrow When The War Began) making an appearance, Kal Penn and Kyle Gallner who previously appeared in horror films ‘My Soul To Take’, A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (2010) and ‘Scream’ (2022). 

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun horror movie to watch with your friends or a fun weekend horror flick to creep you out, ‘Smile’ the film for you. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel and does play off elements we have seen in other films, but its unique premise, effective scares and interesting characters, help elevate ‘Smile’ above other films in the horror genre. 

Smile is one of 2022s biggest surprises. The film remains tense, frightening and legitimately terrifying throughout its entire runtime. It’s a scare a minute and is best watched with the lights on and with others. Smile is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, so head on over to your local Sanity or online to secure your copy today but hurry you won’t want to miss this one. Shop here

Christopher Pattison from Oz Movie Geek wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here