Smiley Face Movie Review (2007)
An absurdist film about a stoner trying to pay her debts, bake some cupcakes, and get to an audition, Smiley Face is hazy and amusing.
I was a big fan of That 70’s Show when it came out. A group of teens who hide away in the basement, smoking pot and getting into small hijinks here and there. It’s funny and innocent enough, with the stoner kids acting like children because they are so foggy. That was exactly the vibe I got from this film.
Smiley Face is about Jane, a young woman who is irresponsible, doesn’t pay her bills, and is always getting high. One day, her roommate leaves a note explicitly instructing her not to eat the cupcakes in the fridge and another to pay the electric bill. In a wave of figurative smoke, Jane lets her munchies get the best of her, and she eats all the cupcakes. This leads her to have to figure out how to get some money, bake new cupcakes, pay the electric bill, attend an audition, and pay her dealer so he doesn’t take her furniture.
This comedy is super silly. Anna Faris is always endearing, and that isn’t any different here. She does a great job of keeping you semi-sympathetic to Jane’s goofy troubles because of her inherent ability to play innocence and spaciness so well.
The supporting cast is eclectic, including Adam Brody, Danny Masterson, Jane Lynch, John Krasinski, Marion Ross, John Cho, Danny Trejo, and Roscoe Lee Browne. These are people that I never would have thought to cast together, but it works, as each section of the film is its own vignette.
The story is meandering, just like Jane’s mind. She finds herself here and there, and frequently has to rethink through the list of things she is supposed to be doing. She then gets distracted, and rearranging the list becomes a struggle.
I did laugh out loud a few times, and I’m glad that I finally watched this, but I was hoping I’d be more taken with it than I was. To be fair, there isn’t a lot of depth to look for in a film about a girl who finds herself in a pickle because she eats all the cupcakes, so it’s important to take her low-stakes problems for what they are and relax.
Overall, Smiley Face is a good time led by a lovable performer in Faris. If you grab a bowl of Doritos and lean into the loopiness, you’ll get a kick out of this short fever dream.
Runtime: 84 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi and Amazon Prime, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
