Review of Smiley Face

Smiley Face (2007)
7/10
Worth a watch, if you're into these kinds of films!
7 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this movie on a whim because it had some actors I knew, and looked like something similar to Napoleon Dynamite or other quirky films. One critic on the DVD box says "it's like Harold and Kumar but with a chick". Personally, I found it only slightly similar, if even that. Possibly because I wasn't craving a white castle burger the entire time (FYI, the nearest one is over 5 hours away from my home).

For starters, this is a very unique film. I can't really compare it to anything. It does center around drugs. But instead of people just hanging out and smoking pot the whole time (if I remember "dazed and confused", among others), this is about one pothead (Faris) who accidentally eats a batch of "special" cupcakes and who leaves home on a wacky adventure, trying to make things right. It kind of puts a silly spin on things, showing how she has a game plan (but keeps having to change it because of her dumb drug-influenced moves), loves her bed way too much (you'll see what I mean), and basically acts like a pothead might act in certain situations. It's interesting, as most of the time the filming style is bright and clear, rather than dark or "tripped out" like so many other drug movies. The happy setting just highlights how dumb she's acting because of the drugs.

I found she does a convincing job of portraying the habitual stoner, so if you want to see her looking pretty (and not totally and incomprehensibly stoned) you should look elsewhere; I thought she looked good in Scary Movie 3 and My Super Ex Girlfriend, so check those out. But back to the acting, the cast worked well together in this one, with Adam Brody (from the OC) as the dreadlock-toting drug dealer and John Krasinski (from The Office) as the infatuated friend, who tries to help her get the cash she needs. Danny Masterson was also funny as the creepy roommate.

It was a fun watch, but overall the story is really shallow, it's purely focused on Faris and her misadventures that day. That's not necessarily a bad thing, given the way the film is written. I would have liked to see more of Brody and Krasinski, but it was definitely a unique adventure with some definite funny moments, that may take a while to get into. You'll soon find yourself hitting yourself in the head at every bonehead move that Faris makes, and wondering if she'll ever sober up. I also didn't like the ending too much, but then again you could argue it goes against the normal "movie ending". Still, I think they could have done a lot more. That's all I'll say for now, enjoy the show.
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