Smiley Face (2007)

Smiley Face

Starring: Anna Faris, John Krasinski, Adam Brody

Written By: Dylan Haggerty

Directed By: Gregg Araki

Smiley Face takes us on a journey of one day in the life of Jane, a lazy stoner that can’t stay away from a water bong long enough to fulfill her dreams of becoming an actress. After blazing her morning away on the living room couch, Jane develops the munchies and dives into a batch of cupcakes her roommate baked up. Little does she know, said cupcakes were made with some seriously strong marijuana; thus begins mishap after mishap, including an acting audition, an unknowing trip to a meat packing plant, a visit to her college professor’s house and much more.

If Anna Faris was as high as she appears to be in this picture, then she deserves huge props for being able to complete a film in such a demolished state. If she was merely acting, then her performance as Jane F should have received an Oscar nod. She authentically seems obliterated, more so than other actor/actress I can recall in many past druggie movies. I have always liked Faris, despite her bewildering choice to continue appearing in Scary Movie sequel after sequel. So, hearing about her portraying an unambitious actress that loves to sit around her apartment all day smoking pot and playing video games had me sold by default.

Smiley Face is a bit different than past Gregg Araki movies, and it shows that he is not serving as a writer this time around. It's not a bad thing, just really different. There is still some of the same quirkiness of Doom Generation and Totally F***ed Up, but it is a little more straightforward. Most of his past films contain a large sexual foundation, and are generally comical due to how bizarre they are. This one, while certainly crazy as hell, is what it is- a stoner comedy. It succeeds fully in what it aspires to be, and isn't excessively stereotypical in depicting potheads like so many other films of this breed. Nearly everything Jane F goes through in the film is realistic. Whether it is a hallucination from an excessive amount of pot cupcakes or something she is actually experiencing, none of it is over-the-top, considering her heightened condition.

There are many familiar faces throughout- Danny Masterson from That 70’s Show plays Steve the Roommate, a creepy comic-con guy who looks down on Jane for being a constant bong swatting couch potato. John Krasinski (The Office) is Brevin, a nerd madly in love with Jane, regardless of her absent mindedness. During her misadventures, she tags along with Brevin for a dental appointment; hilarity ensues. Adam Brody (Jennifer’s Body) plays Steve the drug dealer, a Rasta type dude who threatens to seize all of Jane’s belongings, provided she doesn’t come up with drug money she owes him by the end of the day. Everyone stands out in his or her supporting roles, and Faris owns the show. The late Roscoe Jenkins plays the voice of himself, speaking to Jane while she is blasted out of her mind, suspended on a Ferris wheel.

Araki’s Smiley Face is a guaranteed delight that could make even the most levelheaded viewer feel buttered beyond recognition. You don’t have to be a pothead to enjoy this, but I would advise someone against such subject matter to skip it. I found it to be laugh-out-loud material for nearly the entire runtime, thanks to Anna Faris’ exceptional performance and Gregg Araki’s potent directing ability. Half Baked, How High and Pineapple Express are all worthy opponents in this genre, but Smiley Face manages to hold its red eyes and glazed grin up in a more clever fashion.