Smiley Face [DVD]

The narrator, an unseen Roscoe Lee Browne, opens the 2007 film “Smiley Face” with “This is the story of how a person got from point A to point Z” and we see Anna Faris’ character (Jane F) at point Z, high [in both senses of the word!] on a Ferris wheel, asking herself, in astonishment, “How did I get here?”Then we backtrack to point A. (Jane F) is an unambitious part-time actress in commercials who lives with a male roommate (Steve), not a boyfriend, portrayed by Danny Masterson. She is a self-described unabashed pothead who is quietly getting stoned early one morning. Looking for munchies in the fridge, she stumbles upon a plate of brownies, made by her roommate for a future event and bearing the warning “Do not eat! That means you, Jane!”. Because her roommate is disapproving of pot, Jane gobbles down the full plate of brownies, not suspecting anything and intending to replace the brownies with a “superior” variety. One hour later, she realizes that the plate of brownies she ate – surprise! - were already “superior”!Jane, now totally stoned, is reminded by a memo on the door of the fridge of an audition at 11:30 and by another memo from Steve of the need to pay the power bill in person today. In addition her agenda is now augmented by the need to buy more weed to bake new brownies to replace the ones she ate.Her plan: “(1) Buy more pot (2) use the money Steve left for the power bill to pay for said pot (3) go to my audition (4) hit the cash machine, zip on over to pay the power bill, pick up cupcake supplies at the store and head on back home to bake ‘em up!”When she buys the pot from her usual supplier (an unrecognizable Adam Brody) she is a bit short on money, the shortage gets added to her outstanding bill, which now amounts to $387 and which she is ordered to pay by 3:00 pm to her supplier whom she is to meet at Venice Park. This last item is now added to her agenda.As she begins to execute her plan, things start to go horribly wrong, of course, and it would not be nice of me to tell you how.This 2007 film had a minimal theatrical release and Wikipedia lists a gross of $179,381. It seems unlikely that it covered its production costs. It got favorable responses from most critics who all praised Anna Faris’ performance. It has become a cult favorite as a top-tier stoner film.I liked the first part of the film best as the script stays within the realm of the realistic. Not being a pothead myself, I am not an authority on the realism of events in the latter part of the film. One Amazon buyer (an offended pothead?) writes “She acts more like a braindead zombie than a pothead”.Ana Faris is recognized and admired as an overall top-of-the-line comedienne and she superbly portrays an out-of-her-mind stoned Jane F.I quote from Google: “Nathan Lee in his review for the Village Voice wrote that "...100 percent sober when I watched it, I can say with some authority that Dylan Haggerty has written an eleventh-hour candidate for the funniest movie of 2007, that Gregg Araki has directed his finest film since 1997's Nowhere, and that Faris, flawless, rocks their inspired idiot odyssey in a virtuoso comedic turn."Claire Martin wrote (9/30/2021) under the heading Anna Faris deserves better: "How Hollywood failed one of its funniest actresses":”Faris deserves recognition for her impeccable comedic timing and wacky energy. Faris’ appeal is pretty evident once you’ve seen her onscreen; NPR hailed her as “a modern-day Lucille Ball” in their review of the 2018 Overboard remake, despite a generally tepid feeling towards the film. She fully commits no matter the role and barrels ahead with full-throttle zaniness. Faris lends her characters a breathy sincerity that proves both likeable and incredibly funny.Her talent shines brightest in the 2007 cult film Smiley Face, one of the few woman-centered stoner movies and a spiritual predecessor to Broad City. Her character, Jane, manages to stumble into more and more trouble as she attempts to pay back her drug dealer and, of course, consumes plenty of weed. It’s a pretty simple premise and one that Faris executes with perfection, looking around in glazed wonder as she gets into plenty of hijinks.”

I wish this was more popular of a movie. It has a great cast everybody in it is super funny. I really don’t understand how it never became a cult classic. Plus the movie makes zero sense and I love it. It’s random,stupid, funny all around good stoner flick.

I hate weed (makes me panic). I love this movie. I've seen it several times and it never seems to get old. Anna Faris creates a character you actually feel for and relate to, not just laugh at.

A cautionary tale about radical ideas online though the eyes of a naive pothead. I hope she exposed their evil doings with the ending sequence.

I personally thought this movie was hilarious! It seemed like it was going to be a bit awkward to watch but Anna Farris pulled it off somehow. It captured anxiety perfectly, I have yet to see a film able to capture anxiety in a way that feels most relatable to me, and it had me cracking up. I thought for being a stoner movie it was well put together, dialogue was fine, good character establishment, I feel the only thing it was lacking was a good ending. I wanted to see something more from it, I felt like we didn't really get to see Brevin or the roommate come full circle and it would've been nice to finally see why the roommate was so mysterious. I think I liked this movie because I watched it while stoned, I can relate to the anxiety portrayed in the film, and I can also relate to the undying love I have for my bed. Overall, if you didn't like it then it's not because it's a bad film, it's maybe just not your type of humor!

The organization of the plot felt like a high stoner who gets one idea after the next but never follow through.

She acts more like a braindead zombie than a pothead

I've seen a lot of stoner movies, and Smiley Face is up there as one of the best, in my opinion. Definitely on par with the Harold and Kumar trilogy. It's like the writers and editors were all stoned out of their minds when they made this movie, and it really speaks directly to the mind of a stoner. I've seen it several times, and I was stoned every time I watched it.If you like hilarious stoner movies, this one is perfect for you. Don't listen to any of the negative reviews, as this movie was clearly not made for them and they have no business reviewing it.

This is a personal favorite, so I am aware that it may not be to everybodies taStes but I do think this is incredibly underated. Anna Faris is great. She conveys a really likable character who you are really dying to see succeed. This film offers something different to all the usual stoner flicks and not just because it's unusual to see a woman cast in this kind of role. Great film.

A very different film from Gregg Araki who is probably most famous for his stunning and disturbing film  Mysterious Skin . Smiley Face is absolutely hysterical with Anna Farris as Jane on top form. It is impossible to say the plot of this film without sounding ridiculous for recommending it but basically 'girl gets really stoned and camera follows her' pretty much sums it up.Adam Brody and John Cho (from stoner film  Harold And Kumar Get The Munchies [DVD] [2004 ]) play Jane's drug dealer and a sausage delivery boy but Farris really makes the film and proves that she is an amazing comedic actress. Mysterious SkinHarold And Kumar Get The Munchies [DVD] [2004

Ever wondered what a comedy would be like if there were no gags in it? Sad face.

Great

What a silly movie! It's very annoying, childish & not funny at all.