10 Horror Movies That Fill You With Dread
7. Smile
Horror advertising tends towards the one-note - dark, murky, gruesomely titled. So kudos to Smile for not just bucking this trend on all counts but producing advertising material that’s unnerving from the off. That rictus grin, broad but sinister, is enough to invoke a serious level of fear.
Smile stars Sosie Bacon in a star-making turn as psychologist Rose Cotter. She witnesses a patient commit suicide after flashing her a terrifying grin, and it swiftly turns out that this is part of an epidemic, a curse. Catch the eye of the victim as they flash their final smile, and you’re next.
While the film heavily utilises jump scares (often very effectively), the real meat is in the terrifying visuals of unhinged grins. The movie makes a commendable effort to tackle real issues of trauma and mental health, too, forging a far deeper connection than the majority of modern gimmick horrors.
Horror is at its best when it taps into the simplest concept possible - with Smile, you’ll leave the cinema distrusting every friendly face you see.