Smile

The feature continues Parker Finn’s short Laura Hasn’t Slept, which took a special jury recognition in the midnight short category at SXSW in March 2020. Caitlin Stasey plays Laura in both, so the patient here is that same character, not a new version of her. It was announced in September 2021 as Something’s Wrong with Rose. Paramount first planned a streaming only release on Paramount+; Brian Robbins said the studio switched to cinemas after strong test screenings. The weekend before release the marketing team bought seats behind home plate at baseball games and put actors there to grin into the camera during the pitch. Charlie Sarroff’s camera choices shape the watching. He puts a wide lens very close to Sosie Bacon, builds head on close ups with the eyeline just above the camera, and deliberately leaves the space around her empty. Rotating and inverted drone shots carry Rose’s life turning over, with the helicopter work in The Shining as the reference. Filming ran in New Jersey from 11 October to 24 November 2021. A good fit if you like scanning an emptied frame for where the threat will enter, and would rather be frightened by space than clutter. Not for anyone who cannot sit through the opening suicide shown directly on screen, because the film returns to that image later.