The horror genre is notorious for its ability to evoke visceral reactions from audiences, using tension, atmosphere, and the element of surprise to deliver thrills and chills. "Smile," the 2022 horror flick, attempts to unsettle its viewers with an intriguing premise and the thematic backdrop of trauma and psychosis. As a middle-of-the-road offering in the pantheon of psychological horror films, "Smile" presents a paradox of potential that is both realized yet underwhelming, making it an embodiment of the phrase "ok not bad."
At its core, the story follows Dr. Rose Cotter, admirably portrayed by a committed Sosie Bacon, who stumbles upon a nightmare that blurs the lines between reality and delusion. The film probes the depths of human trauma and the harrowing journeys some undertake to escape the clutches of their past. The premise alone holds promise, setting the stage for a horror flick that could delve into the psychological intricacies of the mind.
However, the execution tends to meander, testing the limits of patience and the audience's appetite for slow-reveal narratives. With each minute that ticks by, we find ourselves engaged but itchingly anticipative of a payoff that’s always a step too far. While director Parker Finn judiciously tries to build unease with patient camerawork and a grim aesthetic, the film stretches its thin storyline across a canvas too wide, making viewers check their watches as they brace for a terrifying crescendo that, unfortunately, also takes too long to materialize.
"Smile" does have its moments where it shines dimly, casting shadows that do indeed make one's heart pace erratically. The performance by Bacon gives the film a solid anchor, as her character's descent into madness offers an intense, albeit protracted, journey. It is in these fleeting instants where the film aligns with its eerie potential, broaching Rose’s unraveling psyche with a kind of intimate terror that promises something profound is lurking around the corner. Yet, when these moments tease and retreat, they leave a lingering hunger for something more robust.
The unsettling grin of death, a staple motif that the film markets, is a visual treat—or trick—that sporadically startles. It queries the chilling implications of a smile turned sinister, a universal symbol of joy perverted into something malevolent. Yet again, the over-reliance on this singular image, while initially effective, becomes a crutch that the narrative leans on heavily, minimizing its ability to genuinely terrify upon repetition.
For those seeking periodic jumps and a mood fitting for a dark evening, "Smile" suffices, executing its scare tactics with variable success. It neither plummets into the depths of forgettable horror outputs nor ascends to the status of genre-defining. It remains steadfastly in the genre's middle ground.
In conclusion, "Smile" reaches for an ungraspable greatness, touched intermittently by sequences that elicit true discomfort and empathetic distress. Despite its stretched length and overtaxed narrative, it is also punctured by a commendable performance and some well-crafted scares. This is a film that garners a definitive 5/10—an adequate attempt at psychological horror that could have benefited immensely from tighter editing and a narrative as intriguing in delivery as it is in concept. It leaves us with an echo of its title – a smile that's neither fully joyous nor thoroughly grim but rests awkwardly at a lukewarm midpoint.
