“Smile”: this little horror film that has everything to become cult

In theaters since Wednesday, “Smile” features a psychiatrist victim of a terrifying curse.
This low-budget American film stands out from the rest thanks to its careful direction and the performance of actress Susie Bacon.

If there is one film genre that is more profitable than the others, it is the horror film. No need for overpriced superstars or insane special effects. You just need to know how to set up an atmosphere, preferably creepy and frightening, and to master the art of “jump scare”, this delicious staging process which consists of startling the spectator when he expects it the most. less.

Shot on a modest $15 million budget by young director Parker Finn, Smile excels on every level. Before its American release next weekend, this mischievous little nugget ranked first in the new releases of the week this Wednesday in France. And it is deserved!

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As she goes through sleepless working days, psychiatrist Rose Cotter (Susie Bacon) receives a young woman who tells her that she is the victim of terrible hallucinations… before grabbing a sharp object to draw a monstrous smile from her throat to her face. ‘to ears. Brrr.. Very quickly, Rose showed the same symptoms as her patient and lost her footing in both her professional and private life. Would she be going completely crazy? Barely.

Smile is the adaptation of Laura Hasn’t Slept, a short film that Parker Finn had presented in many festivals in 2020. He himself signs the long version with some showy references, from Ring to Paranormal Activity, but real parties of realization that allow him to stand out from the crowd. Confidences in subjective camera, soundtrack filled with disturbing sound effects, bare sets where the heroine seems lost in the face of her demons… And so these famous “jump scare” brought with a rather pleasant dark humor.

For this type of nightmare to work, it is best that the viewer identifies thoroughly with the main character. If the supporting roles often border on caricature, the excellent Susie Bacon, seen in the Mare of Easton series, takes us on her slow descent into hell with constant intensity. Unpretentious, Smile can also be read as a corrosive satire of social relations. Are you the type to be wary of people who show a wide smile in all circumstances? You are right.

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