The Honeycut: “Smile 2” Showcases the Pressure of Life

Taking the Stage

I finally watched “Smile” last year and really liked its take on psychological horror. Is the Smile Demon an actual curse or is it a metaphor for mental illness? It’s a question I still think about. 

When I saw the trailer for “Smile 2,” I was immediately hooked. A psychological horror movie based around a pop star, it reminded me of the anime movie, “Perfect Blue,” which is a classic in its own right. 

The Story

Pop star Skye Riley is making her comeback after her boyfriend was killed, and she was injured in a car wreck. However, when she witnesses a drug dealer kill himself in front of her, Skye begins to experience a series of supernatural events. The Smile Curse has been passed on to her.

Honey’s Cut

I really liked this, even more than the original “Smile.” It takes everything that worked in the first one but does it on a grander scale. Especially the curse vs. mental illness deal. 

One thing “Smile 2” does really well is showing how the pressures of stardom affect Skye Riley. The specific scenes I remember are her being late for a rehearsal and letting a bunch of people down. Later, during the rehearsal, she has a major breakdown.

In another scene, later on, Skye is in her apartment when she sees a group of her backup dancers menacingly smiling at her. They chase her and catch her, then a giant arm forces its way down her throat. This triggers a flashback to the night of the car wreck. Skye and her boyfriend get into a fight while he’s driving. Skye acts like a crazy person, grabbing the steering wheel from him, causing their car to fly off a cliff. 

This begs the question, was Skye insane the entire time, or was she cursed by a demon? I think a lot of it could be chalked up to the pressures of stardom. Skye’s schedule is packed with media appearances and rehearsals. Her mother is overbearing and constantly pushes her to do more. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy.

The ending is especially interesting, when after Skye murders some people, she awakens at the beginning of her concert. Everyone she killed is alive and well in the crowd. So, did any of it happen the way we saw it? I don’t think so. I think we got a glimpse into the mind of an overstressed, undernourished, sleep-deprived celebrity. 

Honey’s Final Thought

You don’t have to be a megastar to relate to this movie. We face major pressure in our everyday lives. We set standards for ourselves. Friends and family have a certain image of us we feel we have to keep. Our jobs have certain expectations of us. We are constantly trying to live up to the expectations of others. It can be exhausting. So, it’s no stretch that that kind of pressure, magnified by fame, would drive someone like Skye to madness.