Smiley Face (2007)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Gregg Araki

Writer:

Dylan Haggerty (written by)

Release Date:

16 January 2008 (France)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

High. How are you?

Plot:

After a young actress unknowingly eats her roommate's pot cupcakes, her day becomes a series of misadventures. |

Plot Keywords:

Pot | Roommate | Split Screen | Audition | Liberalism

US TV Schedule:

Fri. July 24	12:30 AM	SHOW
Mon. July 27	2:15 AM	SHOW

Cast

Anna Faris	...	Jane F.
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Himself (voice)
Danny Masterson	...	Steve the Roomate
Ben Falcone	...	Agent
Adam Brody	...	Steve the Dealer
Brian Posehn	...	Bus Driver
Rick Hoffman	...	Angry Face
Matthew J. Evans	...	Bobby (as Matthew Evans)
Davenia McFadden	...	Bus Passenger
Joey Diaz	...	Security Guard (as Joey Coco Diaz)
Jim Rash	...	Casting Assistant
Jayma Mays	...	Actress in Waiting Room
Jane Lynch	...	Casting Director
John Krasinski	...	Brevin
Kai Cofer	...	Man with Weird Beard

MPAA:

Rated R for drug content, language and some sexual material.

Runtime:

USA:88 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:18A | France:Unrated | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Anonymous Content

Trivia:

This film's working title was "Mary Warner", and Winona Ryder was attached at one point.

Quotes:

Brevin: [at the dentist] I kind of like it. I mean, it's not like I'm a masochist or anything, it's just.. Well, in a way, it makes me feel like, "Yeah.. my teeth are being taken care of." You know? It makes me feel... prosperous.

Movie Connections:

References The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

Soundtrack:

2006

An air of innovation verses your typical run-of-the-mill stoner movie.

I've read a lot of angry comments about this movie, claiming it's "bashing" on "stoners" and anti-pot propaganda. This is not the case. If you're familiar with Araki's directing and themes in creating movies, it would be easy to recognize this as a satire. Obviously things of this extreme nature don't happen to people who smoke pot, but I like my comedies to have an entertaining plot. This movie would be horrible if all the protagonist did was lay around high in her home.

Unlike most "stoner movies," this one stands out as being one of the most original ones I can recall. There are elements of great artistic direction--which is often neglected in many pot related movies, and their are numerous political metaphors. I mean seriously, how often is "Marxism" and the Communist Manifesto brought into comedies?

Many people will say this is "stupid," which seems like an oxymoron regarding a movie about weed. Indeed, there's incredible silliness and ridiculous over-the-top decisions, but that's the point of this movie(and not to mention Farris' character to begin with). Araki introduces subtle, witty imagery while simultaneously producing an enjoyable slapstick comedy.