Smiley Face (2007)

Disclaimer: I was inebriated while initially watching this movie, so I am slightly biased in that sense. I've heard this movie described as 'the greatest stoner comedy of all time,' and after viewing this movie I honestly have no problem with that assessment. Anna Faris is definitely the perfect casting choice to play Jane, a stereotypical 'wake-and-bake' stoner, and her performance is one of the most realistic depictions of being high that I've witnessed in cinema (I speak from experience, of course). The supporting cast is quite good as well, being able to provide a contrast to Faris' character in a surprisingly entertaining way which contributed to the comical nature of this movie. The downward spiral Jane continually goes down in an attempt to somehow come out on top is a vastly engaging and hilarious experience, though it leads to the largest problems I have with this movie: the ending. I'm not one of those people who will say that this movie is 'anti- pot propaganda' because of what ends up happening to Jane at the end, but the ending does feel rather rushed. Up until that point, it was relatively well-paced, though the last few minutes seemed like a vain attempt to quickly shove in a resolution to the events of the film. It seems as though much more emphasis was put on the rising action than the conclusion of the film. It's a shame, but hey, no film is perfect. The music and editing style may be off-putting to some people, but I honestly think it adds to the movie, as it is strongly indicative of the mental state Jane finds herself in throughout the movie. This helps the audience members, even when they are not in the same state of mind, relate to what is happening inside Jane's head and to follow along as well. In conclusion, despite a strong performance from Anna Faris being reinforced by most other aspects of the movie, the climax and resolution felt far too rushed, making Smiley Face seem like an incomplete story, though it is otherwise a great piece of cinema. This one gets an 8/10.

"Smiley Face" stars Anna Faris as Jane, a young woman who accidentally consumes several cupcakes laced with cannabis. The film was directed by Gregg Araki, one of the leading voices in the New Queer movement. Araki's films tend to be about characters whose private realities are out of sync with or rejected by a wider society. Populated by homosexuals, lesbians and runaways, his films are filled with lost souls looking for connection, affirmation, and who struggle to create some new mode of "family" outside of traditional social units.We see variations of such themes in "Smiley Face". Structured as a journey from A (the letter on Jane's computer keyboard) to Z (the letter on a Ferris wheel), the film portrays Jane as a castaway, a little girl locked in a private world which everyone rejects or deems warped. Much of the film consists of Jane lost in a hallucinogenic haze, bumbling about town as she bounces from one misadventure to the next. But unlike most stoner comedies, Araki's film takes the form of tragedy. Smiley faces, drugs and a cute personality hide what is really a wounded little girl.Araki's films have always been about characters driven to nihilism by a cruel, uncaring or banal world. In "Smiley Face" this social morass is alluded to only tangentially. "This situation is totally f***ed up!" Jane cries. And later: "Let's start the revolution!". Elsewhere she talks of a society of masters and serfs, battles with repossessors wanting to take her furniture, frets over utility bills, money, job security and even empty bank accounts. Araki also includes scenes in which Jane – stoned out of her mind – gives a rabble-rousing speech in which she advises the workers of a literal meat grinder to unionise and stand up for labour rights. Significantly, the owner of this factory is one Herbert Spencer, Spencer being he who coined the "survival of the fittest" adage. We also learn that Jane was an "economics student", is very intelligent and was in the top one percent of her class. "Economics didn't really work out," she then admits, the film's only hint at the girl's troubled past.But the film isn't just the tragicomic portrait of a young woman whose potential goes wasted, but one of a girl who wishes for inclusion. Araki even goes so far as to feature papers from Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto" washing over the film's social-cross section. With such scenes, Jane's Utopian idealism and class-consciousness bleed into her personal anxieties regarding exclusion, abandonment and even persecution. Unlike previous Araki heroes, Jane doesn't yearn for family or sexual acceptance, but of a bigger sense of kinship and connection. The film then ends with Jane imprisoned and collecting garbage – the absolute bottom of the social pecking order – whilst Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You" croons, the lyrics "You should have seen by the look in my eyes, there was something missing. You should have known by the tone of my voice, but you didn't listen" alluding to Jane's spaced out persona, yes, but also the in-plain-sight cries of whole chunks of society which routinely go unnoticed. Because these themes are less overt than Araki's previous films, with their sexually abused kids and tormented homosexuals, the ironically titled "Smiley Face" tends to be read as a straightforward comedy.Beyond all this, "Smiley Face" is well acted by Farris. She's delightful, but the film has some pacing problems and is rarely as funny as it could be. Araki's symbolism is also rather perplexing: characters talk of "generous packages", there are close ups of the "Bjs" on beer-bottles (blow jobs?), a subplot about a man who sexually penetrates skulls, and another in which a young man is drilled in the mouth by dentists. These phallic allusions (Araki is himself gay) are confusing. Other symbolism is funny: "Face" opens with Jane literally "high" in the air, for example, and contains a scene in which Jane refuses to drive her car in order to avoid a crash, yet still crushes a car whilst on a bus. Poor girl.7.9/10 – See "The Big Lebowski".

This movie is now in one of my top five stoner movies. For people who don't smoke, I don't think it's the right experience for you. I watched this movie quite baked, and it was hilarious. I seriously laughed out loud many times, only because of Anna Faris. She was probably the best element of the movie.Her acting was priceless, seriously, she looked so freaking baked for the entire movie it was so hilarious to see! Very good jokes and overall very funny movie! But for the plot, it's for sure not the most epic and complex tale of the history... It's actually very omnipresent but not really important. The actress is entertaining enough to make you watch the entire film. Potheads give it a shot while you smoke a bit, it's a great fun but I don't see non-smokers really enjoying the experience. I, of course, watched the movie high and another time sober, and I can confirm a good buzz helps get you into the movie, into the character. It's worth a solid 7 out of 10!

Having seen other movies of Greg Araki's and more often than not turning them off after about a third, and then seeing the trailer for Smiley face, I had no expectations whatsoever that this film was gonna be any good at all. Maybe this is why I loved every minute of it except the last.From watching the trailer I expected it to be about a goody-two-shoes preppy girl who accidentally gets stoned and runs into a series of stressful mishaps. It is not. I expected lame jokes and some truly awful, unrealistic portrayal of the experience of being stoned. But no! I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be an awesome portrait of what it is like to be stoned, beautifully executed by a hilarious, yet extremely hot girl who's not the typical girly-girl celebrity we always get showed down our throats by Hollywood.It was SO refreshing to see a girl allowed to be stoned, funny and looking like regular people actually look and the way guys actually wish more girls did.I always enjoy a good stoner character. The more stereotyped the better. But this is the first time I've seen a stoner GIRL portrayed. And it's genius! Spot on! Up until the last minute. It had so much opportunity and so many different possibilities for making it end in an awesome way, so it was probably the worst anti-climax ending minute. I've ever seen in a movie, which is why I only gave it 9/10. But at least it wasn't what I expected...I can't say whether you would enjoy this if you weren't stoned or never have been, but I guess seeing this movie is the closest you'll ever be to experience what being stoned is like. If yr so narrow minded yr dead against drugs and probably always will be, I suggest you avoid this movie completely cos I don't think you'll find it funny. Except possibly the last minute...But if yr a stoner who likes to get so stoned yr verging on retarded and roll around laughing at oranges or the picture of a chameleon that looks like Gary Busey, I HIGHLY recommend this movie. I guarantee you'll squeal "That's so true!/That's so me/you/one of yr friends!" in between laughter bursts more than once. If cheezburger.com was a movie, this would be it. If you like apparently brainless comedy that actually has more to give than meets the unopened mind, and that makes people comment things like "That was the most pointless movie I've ever seen....but it was GREAT!" after seeing it (such as Dazed and confused, Weeds and most Kevin Smith movies to name a few) I suggest you at give this one a go.Viva la bong!