Rose’s childhood guilt doesn’t keep her from facing the horrifying creature that takes on the monstrous form of her mother. After burning it alive, she escapes the house, feeling as though the curse is broken. However, when Rose visits Joel to apologize for her past actions, an unexpected twist plays out.
Joel reveals himself as the creature, and Rose, trapped in her mind, never truly leaves the house. The Smile ending concludes with a chilling shot of Rose’s death reflected in Joel’s horrified eyes, symbolizing how her tragic fate will continue affecting others.
Rose’s fate seals Joel’s doom in a haunting mirror of terror (Photo: Smile 1/Sony Pictures)Later, in the real world, Joel arrives at Rose’s childhood home. As soon as he steps inside, Rose turns to face him, her smile now twisted with evil intent. In front of Joel, she ends her life, unknowingly passing on the curse to him.
The final shot lingers on Joel’s horrified expression, as her fate now prepares to spread to others.
Sosie Bacon Explains Rose’s Inability to Kill
Sosie Bacon understood from the outset that Rose would never be the “final girl” in Smile, because the only way to break free from the curse was through murder. Despite this, Bacon expressed satisfaction with the movie’s dark, unsatisfying conclusion (via THR).
Reflecting on Rose’s choice of either killing someone or committing suicide, Bacon shared her discomfort but highlighted how Rose couldn’t bear the thought of harming anyone, even to survive. Rose’s choice was truly tragic.
She entered the house knowing her options were grim: to be devoured by the monster or set the house ablaze, thus destroying the curse, but she would not pass it on. Unfortunately, neither outcome came to pass, and her suffering was compounded by the loss of even those faint hopes.
Bacon admitted that she would have found it even more disheartening if the film had wrapped up with a traditional happy ending.
The Smile Ending’s Impact
The shocking ending of Smile elevates the movie from a typical horror film to something far more profound. This twist didn’t just offer a surprise but delivered a commentary on how trauma can shape one’s destiny. While many horror films feature sudden reveals, not all manage to leave a lasting impact.
Some twists, like the one in Friday the 13th, might feel forced or inconsequential, but Smile carefully crafted its reveal, adding depth to the story much like The Descent’s finale, which took the film to a higher level.
In The Descent, the better, alternate ending shown in the UK reveals Sarah thinking she’s escaped the mutated creatures, only for it to be revealed that she never left the caverns, and her mind gave her a false sense of victory.
This sense of deception is also a key factor in Smile, where viewers are led to believe Rose has triumphed, only for it to be revealed that she was never free, solidifying the film as one of the standout horrors of 2022.
Reception of the Smile Ending
The reception of Smile was mostly positive, both from critics and the audience, with the movie receiving an 80% score on the Tomatometer and a 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. For many, the performances, eerie visuals, and spine-tingling jump scares were highlights.
Some viewers appreciated the twist in the ending, which opened up possibilities for a Smile sequel, but the ending itself wasn’t always the focal point of the film’s praise. On the flip side, some critics felt the film leaned too heavily on formulas.
Comparisons to other films like The Ring and Oculus were made, especially regarding the passing of the curse. Though these elements weren’t considered a dealbreaker, many expected more innovation in how the curse was handled in the final scenes.
One of the more intriguing criticisms came from Dread Central’s horror critic, Mike Snoonian, a mental health professional, who criticized the portrayal of trauma’s overwhelming nature.
Snoonian questioned the film’s handling of the emotional toll of trauma, suggesting it oversimplified the experience by depicting it as something a person has no choice but to succumb to.
This perspective sparks an interesting conversation about the film’s deeper themes, which is more thought-provoking than simply dismissing it as an underwhelming movie.
How Smile 2 Took the Story Further
The first film left viewers with a false sense of victory, where Rose seemed to have closely followed the original ending but introduced new stakes that shifted the direction of the story.
The curse is far from over as a new victim takes its place (Photo: Smile 1/Sony Pictures)The first film left viewers with a false sense of victory, where Rose seemed to defeat the curse, only to later reveal that she was only deceived. Similarly, Smile 2 built upon this idea and raised the stakes, asking what happens if someone famous, like Naomi Scott’s character, Skye Riley, falls victim to the curse and spreads it worldwide.
In Smile 2, Skye performs a massive concert, convinced she has defeated the curse. However, just like Rose, she discovers too late that she never truly escaped. The curse spreads beyond the concert to the audience, both in the venue and online.
This film expanded the impact of the curse, hinting at a larger, more devastating global reach. The sequel didn’t just continue the story; it escalated the tension, setting the stage for a potential post-apocalyptic scenario in a third film.
