Smile Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

5. Parker Finn's Impressively Restrained Direction

As a calling card for a first-time filmmaker, Smile is very impressive indeed. Newcomer director Parker Finn shames horror directors with considerably greater experience than himself here, delivering a film that's slick and stylish yet also surprisingly restrained for the most part.

Sure, Finn delivers those shocking funhouse moments that filled up the movie's dubious trailers, but the bulk of the film is really much quieter and more character-driven than that.

Finn has a refreshing confidence in his story to not race through it at mach-speed or resort to the genre's laziest tricks to keep the audience perked up.

There are several long, violence-free stretches in Smile which consist simply of characters talking to one another, and yet aided by a strong cast, Finn keeps them totally captivating.

Combined with his penchant for slow, deliberate camerawork, Finn creates an atmosphere of unease that at times feels more akin to your average A24 horror than a studio romp.

Don't be surprised if Finn becomes an in-demand horror filmmaker in the years to come, because he does an exemplary job in his debut here.