22/18
The scar on Skye’s knee is shaped like a smile
Line of Events
About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins to experience increasingly terrifying and unexplained events. Crushed by mounting horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to come face to face with her past. In one scene, Skye places a VOSS water bottle on a stone/marble kitchen counter and a noise is heard that matches the sound of a plastic object being placed.
Featured on The 7PM Project: Episode 17 October 2024 (2024)
VOSS water bottles are made of glass, something that is actually specifically emphasized in the film, and thus the sound does not match the action seen. Skye Riley: [to Smile Entity] You’re not in control, me! .
It also presents deep themes about the toxic culture of pop celebrity
A very disturbing depiction of the smiling phenomenon using the pop music scene and celebrity culture as a backdrop. Skye, the central character, is at the center of this poignant story that shows layers and layers of a person’s life spiraling out of control. We see most of the story from Skye’s perspective and so the film does a great job of creating empathy for the character, despite all of her moral failings.
If you like body horror, you’ll love this
In the film, The Smile takes on many meanings as it reflects the pressure to put yourself out there and smile for the cameras when one’s mental health is in trouble. Her manager, assistant, and fans seem sane in the chaos, but their actions feel like instruments of torture. It’s so upsetting, personally I feel like Skye goes through too much and by the end I was just relieved that the film was over.