Smile

Now, if I wanted to laugh at Smile, I'd find reasons to do so, because the criticisms you read about the generic script are true (for example, it borrows not only the premise, but entire scenes from It Follows), and the scene where the main character goes around to her relatives, friends and acquaintances and tries to convince them that she's cursed is written in a funny way. But I decided to be sympathetic to the film, and that's because at a time when a large number of genre films forget the most important thing, i.e. trying to scare the viewer, Smile tries damn hard. It doesn't always work out, but I though about the horror films that have been released in Czech cinemas so far this year, and Smile is by far the most effective in this respect. If the script was polished in terms of the behaviour of the characters and the depth of the topics discussed, it would be satisfying even with undiminished expectations; the craftsmanship is more than solid. But I’ll look the other way and I’ll give it a seven. (09/30/2022)

That it would be a psychological horror was clear to me the moment it turned out that more than one psychologist appeared in it. That it would be an interesting horror became clear during the course of the plot. There was a great atmosphere and tension. The jump scares didn't look as dumb as they usually do. Even though it was sometimes quite gory, gore didn't function as the main instrument of fear. However, the movie also has its drawbacks. The first one is more of a pet peeve of mine because I don't like the actress in the leading role. What was worse was that, although the story tried to look original, I have seen something similar a couple of times. It was like Fallen (1998); only whistling was replaced with smiling. I also don't get why filmmakers don't consult advisors for scenes involving knives. All that stabbing in the sternum and ribs as if it were soft butter is pathetic. Despite all my reservations, I enjoyed myself throughout the movie, which unfortunately doesn't happen to me often with horror movies. P.S. A very nice attempt at a Schrödinger's cat:-) / Lesson learned: If you tend to be jumpy, just use plastic dishes. If you also care about the environment, go for wood. (01/10/2023)

Those horror smiles were very scary. Brrr. Good stuff this was. The premise is original, the jump-scares are good (one is absolutely sumptuous), I trusted the little-known Sosie Bacon with every stressed-out twitch of her face, and what I'd particularly highlight was the soundtrack, both the perfectly pitched nervous music and the sound design, which flawlessly supports the anxious atmosphere. And I liked the cinematography, which was interestingly rolling around, or shooting the image upside down. Simply, to conclude, this might not be the horror event of the year, but it is a fine one-off with pizzazz. (08/05/2024)

A weaker reheating of It Follows and Drag Me to Hell mixed together. Excellent sound design and a couple of well executed jump scares pull it up slightly above average in the end. The craftsmanship is very solid, and the few scripting missteps thankfully don't feel particularly distracting. As a horror one-off, it's actually quite good. If you don't expect any deeper themes from horror movies and are content with simple (but well presented) entertainment and a few jump scares, this material is just for you. [65%] (10/15/2022)

In screenwriting terms, Smile is a lesser variation on It Follows, but only where innovativeness is concerned. Psychologically, it is carefully constructed, almost in the manner of a procedural, without a single weakness. It is also excellently filmed and very intense in its suspense and scares, with brilliant sound design. And the newcomer Sosie Bacon is great in the lead role. Director Parker Finn surprises us again. (10/09/2022)