Buzz
Kicking off the 2022 Halloween movie season, SMILE (original title: SMILE) from Paramount Pictures made an impressive global debut.
After its second week of release, the film continues to top the North American box office, pushing its domestic earnings to nearly $50 million. With its strong revenue momentum in the past few days, SMILE is predicted to surpass The Black Phone and become the highest-grossing horror film of 2022.
Especially globally, the film has grossed nearly $90 million, over four times its production budget (around $17 million). This remarkable achievement has added another successful horror franchise to Paramount's cinematic repertoire.
Not only booming in revenue, SMILE is a rare horror film that continuously receives high ratings and positive reviews from both critics and audiences after several days of release. SMILE currently boasts a 77% rating from critics and a fresh 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Going beyond mere entertainment frights, SMILE also contains many messages about psychology, life, and human relationships. From acting to cinematography to plot development, SMILE aims for authenticity, successfully engaging audiences in a captivating and suspenseful journey uncovering intriguing secrets.
The eerie and unique motif of 'the curse' is chillingly portrayed
Developed from the short film Laura Hasn’t Slept, SMILE presents a remarkably impressive and distinct storyline. The film revolves around psychiatrist Rose Cotter and her treatment of Laura - a student suffering from severe psychological trauma after witnessing her teacher's suicide. However, Rose herself begins to experience 'shock' as Laura unexpectedly takes her own life in front of her, sporting a sinister smile.
Following the heartbreaking incident, SMILE officially embarks on a thrilling yet captivating journey, with the motif of a 7-day curse. Stories of spreading 'curses' have appeared on screen before, such as The Ring and Truth or Dare, but the portrayal in SMILE is both terrifying and subtle.
With only 7 days left to live, Rose begins to confront her painful past, having lost her mother, clashed with her sister Holly, or engaged in less-than-'healthy' romantic relationships. She reunites with her ex-boyfriend Joel to investigate the SMILE curse, only to inadvertently lead him into despair.
Still conveying the message of 'humans are truly fragile,' the battle between Rose and the demon in the film is clearly uneven, yet it captivates audiences with her resilience - the way the protagonist surpasses herself, reminding herself to be strong enough to end this entangled chain of tragedies.
A smile - Symbol of 'ultimate suffering'
The symbol of a smile - an ominous sign of impending doom
SMILE establishes a fascinating 'vicious circle' not only through curses but also through the relationships between individuals. Rose is a talented psychiatrist, yet she herself later becomes a patient of another doctor. Ultimately, doctors or patients, they are all humans, each with their own psychological suffering. 'Doctors also fall ill,' a seemingly laughable notion, but it's the truth. Rose may have professional expertise in psychology but cannot protect herself from illness and especially the deadly curse because, in the end, she's just a small, suffering human being.
This message is depicted bitterly, hidden beneath the 'mask' of smiles and curses with no redemption, as director - screenwriter Parker Finn skillfully constructs, as he once shared: 'I wanted to create a film that gives people a sense of prolonged panic from the beginning to the end.'
Sosie Bacon's Outstanding Performance
In her first film role, Sosie Bacon deserves the warmest praises. Dr. Rose appears to have a glorious career, an endless blissful life, but that's just a facade. Rose harbors suppressed pain from the tragedy of abuse, manipulated by her own family.
Bacon had to exert herself to portray a 'paper' woman - seemingly strong but internally shattered, exhausted by the wounds. Not stopping there, Rose also experiences various emotions - confusion, fear, anger, and most notably, the toxic positivity of 'smiles.'
With experience in horror films (Scream) and familiarity with the atmosphere of a psychological struggle film (13 Reasons Why), Sosie Bacon perfectly depicts the complex psychological journey of the protagonist in SMILE.
SMILE (original title: SMILE) is currently screening widely in theaters nationwide.
Photo: IMDb
