Overview
A psychiatrist's grip on reality unravels as she confronts a terrifying force from her past.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- foreboding
- oppressive
- paranoid
- late night horror marathon
- haunted house season
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film deeply creepy and effectively unsettling, with Sosie Bacon's performance elevating a familiar trauma-based supernatural horror premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rose's professional and personal unraveling is directly linked to the traumatic incident she witnesses and the entity that follows it.
Rose's attempts to explain the threat are undermined by strained relationships and suspicion surrounding her behavior.
The entity's disturbing smiles recur as a recognizable warning and source of visual unease.
Rose is a psychiatrist whose investigation unfolds through hospital consulting rooms, therapy contexts, and medical relationships.
Films like Smile, and why
It Follows
Shared psychological horror, supernatural curse, escalating paranoia, and trauma-centered dread.
The Ring
Shared cursed supernatural threat, investigative mystery, disturbing imagery, and psychological terror.
Oculus
Shared psychological horror, unreliable perceptions, trauma themes, and an escalating supernatural haunting.
Final Destination
Shared supernatural contagion premise, relentless pursuit, and high-tension horror set pieces.
Movie Details
- Director
- Parker Finn
- Release Date
- 2022-09-23
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (4280)
Cast
- Sosie Bacon
- Kyle Gallner
- Jessie T. Usher
- Robin Weigert
- Caitlin Stasey
- Kal Penn
- Rob Morgan
- Gillian Zinser
- Judy Reyes
- Jack Sochet
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Smile about?
- A traumatized psychiatrist confronts a smiling supernatural curse that turns her own mind and social world against her.
- What is Smile like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Smile as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Smile violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Smile as moderate.
- What did critics think of Smile?
- Critics broadly found the film deeply creepy and effectively unsettling, with Sosie Bacon's performance elevating a familiar trauma-based supernatural horror premise.
- Which films are like Smile?
- Films with a similar feel include It Follows, The Ring, Oculus, and Final Destination.
- How long is Smile?
- Smile runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Smile?
- In United States, Smile streams on Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
