Smiley Face follows the story of a young actress (Anna Faris) who, after mistakenly consuming marijuana-laced cupcakes, embarks on a series of comedic misadventures throughout Los Angeles [1][2][4]. The film is rated R for some sexual material, language, and drug content, and it is known for its lighthearted humor and good performances
Review by Ben Dover:
sighs deeply and adjusts glasses with an air of exasperation
Good lord, where does one even begin with the travesty that is Smiley Face, the 2007 stoner comedy that sees Anna Faris plumb the depths of her acting “talents” in what can only be described as a monument to the degradation of the cinematic art form? This is a film so mind-numbingly, unapologetically stupid that it makes Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle look like a Shakespearean tragedy in comparison.
From the opening frames, it’s painfully clear that director Gregg Araki is operating firmly in the realm of the absurd, gleefully abandoning any semblance of coherent storytelling or dramatic stakes. The plot, if one can even call it that, follows the thoroughly unhinged misadventures of Jane F., a struggling actress who inadvertently consumes an entire batch of THC-laced cupcakes and proceeds to careen through the streets of Los Angeles in a drug-fueled haze.
What follows is a seemingly endless barrage of cringe-inducing slapstick, as poor Jane F. bounces from one disastrous scenario to the next, encountering a cavalcade of broadly drawn caricatures who exist solely to amplify the film’s bludgeoning sense of wackiness. It’s as if Araki instructed his actors to channel their inner Looney Tunes character, resulting in a relentless onslaught of mugging, overacting, and general buffoonery.
And the aforementioned Ms. Faris – good lord, the poor woman. Saddled with the unenviable task of carrying this cinematic albatross on her shoulders, she delivers a performance that can only be described as a descent into thespian ignominy. Gone is the charming, self-aware sensibility that made her a comedic darling; in its place is a manic, one-note caricature whose every line reading and pratfall elicits a cringe rather than a chuckle.
But perhaps the most galling aspect of Smiley Face is the way it wallows in its own sense of smug self-satisfaction, as if Araki and his ilk believe they’re crafting some sort of high-minded satire on the vapid excesses of modern life. In reality, it’s nothing more than a tiresome barrage of stoner clichés and cheap gross-out gags masquerading as edgy, subversive humor.
Alas, Smiley Face stands as a testament to the depths to which the cinematic medium can sink when left in the hands of those who mistake aimless zaniness for genuine wit. It’s a film that makes one long for the comparatively nuanced sensibilities of Troma Entertainment. A true nadir of 21st-century comedy, destined to be forgotten by all but the most masochistic of film buffs.
The only good thing about doing this review is the AI images below. If you made it this far you are welcome.
Critics Consensus:
Critics 66% Audience 44%
The rare movie where the audience is lower than the critics on a non arthouse film. Although many of the jokes have been done before, Anna Faris’s bright performance and Gregg Araki’s sharp direction make Smiley Face more than your average stoner comedy. Read critic reviews
Trailer:
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