Smile, it’s spooky season.
The latest trailer for horror film “Smile” has sent the internet into a spiraled tizzy with its haunting take on a sinister grins. Written and directed by Parker Finn, making his feature debut after short films “Laura Hasn’t Slept” and “The Hidebehind,” “Smile” stars Sosie Bacon as a psychologist who starts experiencing frightening encounters after treating a peculiar patient. The Paramount Pictures film hits theaters September 30.
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Per the official synopsis, after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.
Lead star Bacon is the daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. She previously played Kate Winslet’s daughter-in-law in the Emmy-winning “Mare of Easttown.”
“Smile” is already gone viral, with a group of smiling creepy-looking actors even invading the Major League Baseball games over the weekend ostensibly as part of Paramount Pictures’ marketing strategy.
“Smile” premiered at Fantastic Fest, where lead star Bacon told Orange Magazine that the film marked a milestone debut for herself. “Truthfully, I wasn’t fully aware of how much this part would wear on me when I began the movie,” Bacon said. “It’s physically demanding, because your body doesn’t understand the difference between acting and real life. But honestly, I don’t know that anything can prepare you for an experience like ‘Smile.’”
Writer-director Finn added, “I believe Sosie’s given one of the most astounding debut lead performances in recent years. She’s in almost every scene, and she’s operating at extreme levels of stress, fear, and panic for most of the movie. Maintaining those emotions can really take a toll on an actor, but she’s deeply committed to her craft and just knocked it out of the park.”
The IndieWire review applauded Bacon’s dedication to the role, writing, “While this is a tiresome (although realistic) trope in horror, these rapidly changing emotional states allow Bacon’s acting to shine. ‘Smile’ navigates unhealed trauma through a supernatural lens and mischievous juxtaposition, despite feeling like a shadow of other stories. Overall, ‘Smile’ delivers a captivating and claustrophobic mental hellscape that will cause one to both grimace and grin.”
“Smile” also stars Kyle Gallner, Jessie T. Usher, Robin Weigert, and Caitlin Stasey, with Kal Penn and Rob Morgan in supporting roles. The film is produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, and Robert Salerno, with Adam Fishbach serving as an executive producer.
“Smile” premieres September 30 in theaters.
Check out the trailer below.
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