Smile
2022 · Directed by Parker Finn
Original language: English
- horror
- mystery
The story
After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.
What it’s like
Clean, hard-edged hospital light and tight, unsettling close-ups give Smile a cold, glossy look, with fluorescent corridors, sterile waiting rooms and dim suburban New Jersey interiors often framed so the edges of the frame feel crowded. Long stretches hold on a face while the camera refuses to cut away, and the sound design leans on sudden silences, distorted ambient hums and a sharp, dissonant score that spikes into jolts. The mood is paranoid and clammy, a slow-building unease that turns feverish in its final act, with the isolation of a woman who can't trust her own perceptions. Its intensity is high: frequent jump scares, a graphic suicide opening, bloody and disturbing imagery, and sustained dread throughout, with brief but harsh violence. It suits a late-night watch with the lights off, for viewers who want horror built on atmosphere and psychological strain rather than gore, though it is not gentle or restful. Best for fans of contained, trauma-driven horror who can handle an unrelenting, anxious tone.
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