This is the third time I've seen this film, and second time I've blogged it, and I decided to reblog it because it still hits me as a great film. From start to finish this film keeps my attention. The pacing is so well timed in terms of story development, and editing. I think what makes this a strong film is that it takes place in a single day. Rarely do films convey such a short period of time during the length of the film. I think a story has to be very solid in order for it to hold up taking place only over one day, and Smiley Face stands this test of "time".
Also what I like about this film is that it's portraying pretty idiotic actions, but it does it very smartly. Other stoner-comedies such as Dude, Where's my Car? and Harold and Kumar, don't try hard to be profound (and not that Smiley Face overtly does), but here, there's this level of intelligencia (specifically the scenes where economic, and marxist theory is debated). I find it more realistic to include such dialogue in a stoner comedy, because it acknowledges that many "academic" individuals also enjoy smoking pot.
Another device I thoroughtly enjoy in Smiley Face is the fantasy vs reality sequences that we find Ana Faris in. In her head Ana Faris' character delivers a magnificent and moving speech about labour rights, but in reality she's mumbling profanities, and speaking completely untelligibly, awesome!
The soundtrack is also remarkable: REO Speedwagon, Ladytron and Chemical Brothers.
For these reasons, and many more I really think this movie is greatly underestimated because of what it portrays at it's surface level. It's definitely meant to be a light-hearted comedy, but I think it deserves even more attention.
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