Smile Director Parker Finn Discusses The Easter Eggs Only Eagle-Eyed Viewers Will Spot - Exclusive

Paramount Pictures' latest cinematic fright-fest "Smile" is scaring up audiences, with an effectively scary premise, a stunningly talented cast, and a strong script from writer-director Parker Finn. The film stars Sosie Bacon as Dr. Rose Cotter, a well-meaning doctor with a good heart and a tragic past. Dr. Cotter's latest patient has an unusual contagion. It's an entity that wants to pass from victim to victim and, in the paraphrased words of The Smashing Pumpkins, disarm them with a smile.  Dr. Cotter has to get to the heart of the entity's plans before it's all too late.

"Smile" is a memorable horror outing, showcasing director Finn's attention to detail and refusal to let a good scare opportunity go to waste. With that level of precision in the overall narrative, it isn't surprising that a similar level of detail went into the film's efforts to engage the audience and add extra layers of meaning. In a new exclusive interview with Looper, director Finn reveals that there are, indeed, Easter eggs for the eagle-eyed viewer — including some of the more subtle variety, intended to provoke and reward multiple viewings. 

In the interview, Finn was asked if there were indeed Easter eggs that a keen viewer could find. Coyly, he asks in turn, "Maybe. Did you catch some?" A brief exchange later and the "Smile" director reveals that there were intentional details of that kind that the audience was meant to find. "We wanted to pepper them in where we could," he explains. Some of the details were directly intended to be immediately visible to those who pay attention. As Finn clarifies, "Sometimes they're there to catch your eye at first glance," and a first watch should reveal them. 

At the same time, "Smile" is also a film with careful use of every opportunity, so it's no surprise that there are even subtler details that can be found on subsequent screenings. Finn confirms about the Easter eggs that "there's other ones that on a second or third viewing, people might pick up on that they didn't catch the first time." It's an engaging and enjoyable horror outing that would reward future watches even without layers of additional details, but the film is also intended to reward subsequent viewings directly with a complex, layered horror world. With horror season in full force, audiences can look forward to subtle evidence of the entity's eerie visage. Like da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," the subtle smiles of "Smile" pack layers of detailed meaning that will reward viewers for years to come.

"Smile" is now playing in theaters.