Critics often compare the film's relentless sense of dread to modern classics like It Follows and The Ring .
In late 2022, a viral marketing campaign involving people sitting behind home plate at MLB games with frozen, uncanny grins took the internet by storm. It was the perfect introduction to , a film that turned a universal sign of happiness into a harbinger of doom. What is Smile About? sm1l3.2022.hdrip.720p.subesp.mp4
Director Parker Finn originally created a short film titled Laura Hasn't Slept . Its success at festivals like SXSW led Paramount to greenlight the full-length feature. Critics often compare the film's relentless sense of
The story follows Dr. Rose Cotter (played by Sosie Bacon), a dedicated psychiatrist whose life unravels after witnessing a patient’s bizarre and traumatic suicide. Soon, Rose begins seeing an "uncanny entity" that appears as people wearing terrifying, fixed smiles. To survive, she must confront her own deep-seated childhood trauma before the "suicide virus" consumes her entirely. Why It Became a Horror Heavyweight What is Smile About
A sequel starring Naomi Scott as a pop star haunted by the entity was released in October 2024.
Beyond the jump scares, the film is a mature exploration of how trauma can be "passed" from person to person.