My Doctor Said I Can't See Smile

[@Oshacompliantshibari]

34:09 I think it says something about how insane this movie is that meg called it "dire" and gus didn't immediately go for a joke

[@robertallan8035]

The trailers were correct; I will never see a smile the same way again, and I am traumatized beyond belief by the movie about the smile that makes you on fire

[@thebaseandtriflingcreature174]

the smile that makes you on fire on the beach that makes you old

[@fork3810]

Everything I’ve heard of this movie is so conflicting Some reviewers I respect have called it so bad that it would pass as a parody with just some small changes. Others like you have praised it a lot. There’s nothing controversial causing it, it seems like a perfectly normal movie where the negative reviews call it generic and the positive calls it well executed. I have no clue what to think anymore, and even though I don’t watch horror movies, I might have to check it out just to find out if it’s good or bad.

[@TheQuietTyper]

I think the negative reviewers feel the movie was spoiled by the jump scares. They shoved WAY too many jump scares into the movie, even starting as early as the title. It made some of the people in the theater laugh even. There were a few other scenes that I felt a little unintentionally silly, but the build up and themes and the way that themes of mental illness were executed, it was very good. I would just want to edit out the jump scares in the beginning.

[@gothicGumshoe]

@@TheQuietTyper Oh for sure. I went to see it with my boyfriend and there was this one particular scene where the main character is speaking to her therapist when her therapist calls her (so you realise that the one in front of her isn't real). That scared us to hell and back - but then the demon imposter therapist said something so cheesy (I can't even remember what) in this demonic raspy voice that was NEVER in the movie up until that point and it was such a dramatic tone shift that we had to huddle together to contain our laughter in the theatre.

[@robertallan8035]

@@TheQuietTyper I think credibility is more important in horror films. Cheesy jumpscares and often a rather generic feeling atmosphere make it incredibly hard to take a horror film seriously even when it gets better.

[@dangraham7238]

Smile! The wholesome comedy about the beach that makes you smile! 😊

[@psionicsknight6651]

Meg: She’s been bamboozled. Me: It’s worse than that, Meg… she was smeckledorfed!

[@stingerjohnny9951]

That’s not even a WORD and I agree with ya!

[@wyrmoffastring]

TY for the animal violence warning and see you in the next video

[@cortomaltese5206]

Wish they had done a suicide tw too although that a bit obvious

[@gothicGumshoe]

I just wish they'd done it for the actual movie. I'm fine with human gore and death, you typically expect that in a horror film and you know 100% it's fake. Animal death I can't handle though. I cried in the theatre. Awful scene.

[@Mist_Hashira_Muichiro]

Your doctors are right. Smile was so good, even scared me a lot, and i’ve seen dozens upon dozens of horror things and read lots too

[@rebeccaliar9873]

What I find so interesting about SMILE is how, by opening in a mental health facility, it creates a bias in your mind. With most horror movies you kind of just accept that there's an unearthly curse and you brush off any psychological explanation as trying to undermine the premise, but in this film I found the opposite was true. When the protagonist started trying to present her situation as a curse I was surprised at myself for how I wasn't on her side, how I was thinking of it all purely in terms of trauma and actual psychology.

[@Mist_Hashira_Muichiro]

The curse didn’t make her kill the cat, it killed the cat itself, and she didn’t see a random mom smiling, she saw the girl from the hospital, that killed herself, the 1st smile i saw, and she didn’t trip, she jumped back cause she was jumpscared by the girl, her smiling face was right there

[@Mist_Hashira_Muichiro]

That’s exactly right, once the horror started, it didn’t let up until the movie ended. i watched it at night and didn’t regret it but it was absolutely scary

[@Ami-Derps-VA]

Oh, wow, same! Finished watching it a few minutes ago....It's 3:40 AM where I am--

[@DarkExcalibur42]

13:47 "A bad thing happens to this cat." ... and now I know I'm never watching this movie. Thank you for the warning ❤

[@jijimurasaki6557]

This video at first was a struggle for me. First time I saw the smiling avatars, I was like “No, NO. Not watching anymore. Stopping the video.” Then I decided to bite the bullet and go back to it. Told myself I can stand next to my bookcase and just take Little peeks at my tv until I felt ok to watch. Little peek, step back, step closer, little peek , rinse and repeat. Now I’m on my couch and the avatars don’t bother me as much. If what google told me is correct, I may have done a sort of exposure therapy on myself.

[@1kaz1]

Congrats haha /gen

[@dr.stronk9857]

Beginning of the movie is way scarier than the rest of the movie if you ask me, only reason I’m not losing sleep over this movie is because I watched the whole thing

[@echtoon]

I saw the film recently. I enjoyed it, but it definitely steered into this weird grey area where it’s a little funny. During the nightmare at the hospital where she stabs her patient and her coworker peeled off her face, it hammy enough to make the theatre I was in to crack up. The film DOES really does succeed in building suspense and dread, and I l o v e d where we see the creature standing just out of sight in darkness. It’s the kind of stuff I’m sure we all see when we’re looking at the darkness. The protagonist life turning upside down was so sad to see, because it felt real. What happened to the cat was also horrible. I though the climax was lame and wasn’t true to the messages of the film. It felt pointlessly dour, especially after the protagonist finding closure. She won, and that’s what irritated me 😂 I can’t help but feel that films like It Follows and Babadook did some of the ideas and themes of Smile better.

[@MrUnimportant]

I literally can't tell if Gus was kidding about not being able to watch this movie

[@technicallya-samaurai3507]

That is not a cliche. I have ptsd and very often I will wake from vivid nightmares of my dad beating me as a child. Please do not ever dismiss flash backs as cliche as they are founded in ptsd witch is a real disability. I can remember many times that I woke from a horrible nightmare and my girlfriend had to comfort me.

[@WeRNotAlive]

We're sorry if our words seemed insensitive. The last thing we'd want to imply is that recurring nightmares from trauma are entirely fictional. The usage of the word "cliche" was in relation to how commonly trauma nightmares are employed in fictions to provide both instant backstory and a time skip to the present. None of this was meant to be a commentary on the real world and we sincerely hope you can forgive us.

[@sylverscribs0490]

i also have cPTSD from medical neglect and childhood abuse, and yet I don’t have many traumatic nightmares or flashbacks. What really pushes my buttons is when traumatic nightmares and flashbacks are the sole symptoms of PTSD present in the character. often, media doesn’t include other things such as paranoia, reduced tolerance of stress, intrusive thoughts and other maladaptive behaviors in anticipation of the traumatic event happening again. it’s solely there for the instant backstory and drama and not an actual depiction of PTSD. This movie is a special case because of how it depicts suicide and mental illness but i’ll leave my two cents here anyways.

[@technicallya-samaurai3507]

@@WeRNotAlive I would like to personally thank both of you for responding and I appreciate the clarification. I understand everyone handles it differently, I just really enjoyed this movie and wanted to offer my personal approval, I think it handled the whole concept it was based on very well and it shed light on the real life phenomenon of mass suicide. I would like to clarify I still love this channel and your guys videos, I wasn't at all upset I just wanted to clarify that for some people that is a realistic depiction. I appreciate you so much for taking your time to reply to little old me! It means the world!

[@technicallya-samaurai3507]

@@sylverscribs0490 I very much appreciate your two cents and I appreciate your perspective. Everyone handles their disability differently and it affects them differently, this movie just means a lot to me because it's rare to see a piece of art hit close to him and artistically represent something very similar to what you're going through. This movie spoke a lot to my life and I don't want anyone to not see it because it's cliche, I didn't feel it was. Still thank you so much for your reply.

[@theshamurai32]

@@sylverscribs0490 Dude, fuckin same. I used to have nightmares pretty consistently, but years of therapy and good folk helping me out has helped a lot with the dramatic symptoms (nightmares, alcoholism from self medication, events of hysteria or belligerence). But all the subtle shit is so much worse. I still can't stand crowds, I jump from loud noises and sudden unexpected contact with something I can't see, I now and then have days where executive dysfunction just fucking killed my ability to do anything other than lay down, and no matter how much better life is now I just can't seem to fully relax anymore (e.g. I can feel "happiness" in the temporary sense, but I have hard times feeling any deep level of peace or contentment, especially when envisioning the logical trajectory of my future). The worst part is since it's not "Hollywood PTSD" people aren't as willing to cut a guy an occasional break on that shit in my experience. Then you're just twitchy and lazy and hard to be around. It fucking sucks, cause I can't exactly blame them from their perspective since I frankly didn't understand it til I was the guy wearing the grippy socks, but I just want someone to really get me and meet halfway on this (I know, sounds like edgy 14 year old shit, but still). Disclaimer: That aside, life is much better in general than when I was serving, and it has gotten to a place where I can function mostly normally. I was a bitter, sad, suicidal drunk about two years ago that was looking for a fight anywhere. Now I'm living like a hippy in a beach town, no liquor or cigs, and happier than I've been since the Obama Administration. There's hope, just hard to see it sometimes.

[@ringer1324]

My doctor said the same thing! That’s crazy. I didn’t listen though and now I’m skeleton and I wrote this.

[@KittyThaliaX23]

Omg YOU were skeleton and YOU WROTE THIS???

[@ringer1324]

@@KittyThaliaX23 Yes *skeleton sounds ensue*

[@Oshacompliantshibari]

(You hear a trousle of bones)

[@robertallan8035]

Sekletlon

[@StellarRetribution]

Life’s a Smile and then you’re Dr. Michael Morbius

[@CommissarMitch]

Well the change of the video bit legit made me jump because I looked away for a long time. Thanks for that!

[@screee77cat83]

I watched the movie smile and me and my roommate we where the last in so the only seat avavible where right at the front it was the most loud and disorienting movie I have seen. Recently. It wasn't scary but I wincing every jumpscare because was so loud. The only good scenes was the one where she is holding the body of the cat at the birthday, the giant mom chasing Rose and the reveal of the monster which I think had a good design.

[@scolek22]

have to leave for kitty cat cogitohazard but i figured i'd leave a comment in place of watching the rest of the video because i loooove these movie recap videos and i want them to do well so you'll make more of them.

[@gigablast4129]

ngl when i heard about the girl using the piece of glass from the vase to cut her cheeks i instantly thought about jeff the killer

[@stingerjohnny9951]

The internet has ruined us XD

[@alyssanabors4771]

I looked away at 12:50 and looked back at 15:15 and how dare you

[@TinyLadyKris]

DEAR GOD I looked up while I was playing my game and I just saw the creepy smiles goodl ord

[@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose]

16:00 Note: Kyle Gallner has also been in The Haunting in Connecticut, and his name in Smile is Joel not Josh. 😆

[@ryanmartin5745]

I was there at AMC Theatres for the early screening. I chatted with a few of the moviegoers. Most had seen the trailer, and the car scene. None of that prepared anyone for this film. The reactions were small at first. A gasp at the cutting, a thud from the recording. There were audible gasps at the birthday party. Then silence. There was silence for the investigation, for the jail scene. It was uncomfortable watching the car ride, I tried to distract myself by wondering if those large scale tilts were drone shots. The tension was so heavy. When Rose started stabbing the patient Carl, first Carl screams, then Rose screams, and when Dr Desai (Kal Penn) started, the entire theatre burst out into uncontrollable laughter. The theatre was churning with chortling buckets of empty Mirth as the collective unease could finally be verbalized. The outlet didn't seem to improve the mood much. I could hear the awkward shifting as Rose was speaking with Mother, and I found myself fighting the impulse to close my eyes for the ending. This movie truly horrified me and the people around me.

[@blacksun3185]

I thought that the movie probably can't be that bad and the scene with the sister intrigued me so I decided to watch the trailer. Now I feel like I would die if I ever watched the movie for real. It's absolutely terrifying

[@Mist_Hashira_Muichiro]

That scene with the cat in the box was crazy, maybe i just suck at predicting movies but i didn’t expect that or anything else this movie threw at me

[@cynthmcgpoet]

Whenever I read of cats in boxes, I immediately go full Shrodinger.

[@sugoiuseismoeabuse4058]

For half the video I had trouble telling if Meg liked the film or was riffing on it. Well I guess it was liking it. On another note Babadook did have the protagonist continuously work with the babadook to manage her mental hangups, so it kept the message that managing traumas takes work. Men fucked up because it bad film and just randomly ends. This film from what I just heard seems to be more on the end of how it can take lives and harm others like a virus. Which in classical horror where the protagonists die, seems fitting.

[@gothicGumshoe]

Saw this with my boyfriend today. We were either indifferent or laughing the entire time, save for a few flinches... except for the scene with the f***ing cat. We both have trauma around pets dying. Such realistic and visceral pet death in horror films is completely unnecessary. It wasn't a horror film in that moment, it was viscerally, terribly, disgustingly sad. That's not to say that there shouldn't ever be animal death in films. But that shit needs a warning IMO.

[@ThatGreenMach1ne]

This movie's trailers invaded my KZbin ads for this past month. I think I might be interested in watching Smile, but I don't think I can because the closest movie theater is the next town over and I don't have a license. My mom wouldn't want to drive me and I don't know if my brother would want to watch it with me and drive me.

[@roseiguess6167]

my name is rose and i can confirm i’m living in a horror movie

[@digitamamon3828]

yo i was listening to this on a different tab and made the mistake of clicking back towards the end of the video

[@cyan3714]

God damn i looked away for ten seconds and the portrait changed gave me a heart attack

[@getschwifty5537]

Lollipop?!? LOLLIPOP?!? Damn I was betting on Smile Like You Mean It by the Killers.

[@robertallan8035]

Hmm. I revisited this film again, mainly because I remembered that you thought it was scary; on a second watch though I see more what you’re talking about, the issue with this film is that horror movies need credibility more than anything else, and it is very hard to immerse myself in the terrifying mental health aspect when there are so many cheesy jumpscares and very generic feeling visual tropes. Like, during any given scene I might be starting to feel trapped inside my own head and remember points where I was much worse off mental health wise, think “is this what they were talking about?”, and then something really stupid or cheesy happens and I just laugh my head off and can’t take anything seriously. It’s a really well thought out film with all the trappings and surface aesthetics of a terrible “oiuji board 17 whatever the fuck” bad, thoughtless modern horror film.

[@WeRNotAlive]

It genuinely feels like you're trying to outsmart the movie instead of watch it.

[@robertallan8035]

@@WeRNotAlive I am not trying to outsmart it, I am trying to genuinely engage with what I know to be a well written and thought out film, and failing. It’s just as much my fault as it is the film’s that I find it very hard to watch in good faith, and I suppose it makes you a better filmgoer for being better at remaining earnest, though perhaps your taste is just better adapted. I still can’t help but wish that it wasn’t so outlandish at times.

[@malaizze]

Smile + Grabber crossover when??

[@rottencandystudios1857]

Omg. I was looking away and I looked back and a see this scary smiling faces! 😂

[@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose]

3:10 Don't forget Rose da Silva from the movie version of Silent Hill (2006)! 😉 I'd also say Laura is a pretty powerful horror movie name too.

[@BunnyLove5763]

Oh dear… I don’t like it when bad things happen to cats… I’d like to watch this but I suppose I’ll just watch reviews & discussions e.e I thought all the trailers for this movie looked pretty neat. Glad to be hearing so many positive ratings for it. Maybe I’ll watch it with the cat scene removed someday e.e

[@ryanmartin5745]

Kingmaker PodMaster Meg, other Direfolk who've seen the film, I'm interested in your opinions on the wording used to discuss therapy and mental health, which I can recognize as a theme, but lack the expertise to analyze. There's a lot of negative language used (fruitcake, nutjob), and despite efforts to address her own trauma, it doesn't help Rose to acknowledge her past or confront her guilt. However, part of the issue of the curse is the lack of terminology, so perhaps making the "curse" public knowledge will help with treating it. Another subject faced is how reserved and closed off Rose is, so she dooms herself, in a way. Also, a portion of time is spent with Rose ex-therapist, who doesn't prove to be much help. Joel also struggles to aid Rose, without success. The MO of the Smile entity is also very specifically tied to experiencing trauma. Is this film saying the cycle is inescapable? That we are doomed to hurt each other? Apologies for rambling.

[@platinumfactor]

Is it bad that I have absolutely no idea whether you like or hate this movie?

[@hollowfiedmellildy]

Bruh I freaked seeing the video footage half way through I was playing video games while listening to this so I got distracted

[@zakeer2342]

Does this remind anyone else of “Drag Me to Hell” in like the feeling of evil aspect Edit: never mind, smile sounds much more evil

[@TheQuietTyper]

No. I was thinking exactly that. It is like Drag Me to Hell in that a nice woman is cursed by an entity that seeks her death and she has to find a way to save herself. This is better than Drag Me to Hell because it's not racists and the monster represents trauma rather than just being a monster, which makes it scarier.

[@legionairesunny5507]

Can't watch this movie due to the cat violence. I have a rule.

[@carresser]

this sounds like such a horrifying movie i started getting scared like halfway through rip gus

[@angelsartandgaming]

The mention of cat harm already made me not wanna see it. I can barely handle cartoon or fictional animals getting hurt in a non-slapstick manner. I know I won't be able to handle that.

[@fotdk1]

This review really made me SMILE tm NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATERS

[@grimr.599]

All I'm getting is that this is basically fucking SMILE DOG

[@ryanmartin5745]

Technically this counts as a vore movie. Dire Wolf Reacts?

[@cortomaltese5206]

Man based on your description this movie sounds like an exploitive as fuck. Hope this isn't sign of a new trend. Horror helps a lot of people recover from trauma, and this feels... just garbage. Im actually worried about what message this will unconsciously give. At least movies like Midsummer are a cautionary tale, this is just capitalism at its worst.

[@kameronjones7139]

Horror is in no way intend to help people over come trauma if that is what you are using it for you are just setting yourself up for failure

[@cortomaltese5206]

@@kameronjones7139 I know that, but my problem really is the message it might give, because wether you like the movie or not Smile is trying to be more than entertainment and might, even if unconsiously, convey a world vision thats utterly garbage. Thats what concerns me.

[@kameronjones7139]

@@cortomaltese5206 I doubt it will I didn't feel like it gave off those messages in a major way that could change somes view assuming they didn't already think that way to begin with

[@pokemonchase9876]

So was this entire video satire or not???? I am so confused

[@raikaschieck1634]

Im not used to this channel talking about actaully scary movies

[@weakmoon2363]

Is the story about the doctor saying you can't see Smile legit?

[@Kushufy]

Yes

[@arotixtrenar]

I thought it was boring tbh.

[@kingaram5163]

I draw while listening to your vids (I watch and draw back n forth) and I mean this in the kindest way fock u specifically 15 mins in the video

[@erikbihari3625]

What's this?

[@ryanmartin5745]

The movie Smile came out last Friday, and it was properly horrifying. I hesitate to rewatch it.

[@mintdrawsthings47]

omg im so early!! nice!!!!

[@RedShadowAMV]

:)

[@milkboi2765]

:D

[@wolfclaw719]

your doctor said this film would kill you and he's right; I nearly went into a coma because of how boring the film was and mind you I'm kind of a pansy but this film was so blaaaaaand..

[@orochi52]

Smile was so bad and no lie made my brother fall asleep during the movie and made our theater laugh in the end when they revealed the monster. I have no clue why so many people gaslight themselves to say it's good. I even told a friend of mine that actually suffered at the hands of an abusive mother that also was mentally ill and an addict and it actually made her mad how the movie handled trauma. Aside all this like I hated all the jumpscares they were just loud and loud doesn't equal scary. Showed another friend who watched Smile with me, Hereditary, because she never watched it and she was terrified and guess what? All the disturbing and horror had quiet and build up and didn't have to play a loud noise to actually terrify. I'm just so tired of hearing about this movie when it wasn't even good.

[@WeRNotAlive]

Look at this badass over here!! Tougher than the US marines!!

[@orochi52]

@@WeRNotAlive I'm not saying I'm fearless all I'm saying this movie ain't as good as people say it is.

[@TheQuietTyper]

I think you mean brainwashed rather than gaslight, but I agree completely. Far too many jump scares. While the smile images are terrifying, I spoiled this movie for myself by watching Pearl earlier in the week, and that ends with a far more terrifying smile. Thank you for the recommendation. I think I'll check out Hereditary after this.

[@1kaz1]

I didn't like it and I also dislike how they handled their themes but I don't think someone would have to lie to themselves to think it's good, what someone likes is the most subjective thing possible.