Warning! SPOILERS for Smile.Smile stars Sosie Bacon as Rose Cotter, a therapist experiencing strange supernatural occurrences after she witnesses the bizarre suicide of a distressed patient. As the horror film progresses, it becomes clear that Rose is dealing with a demon that feeds off the trauma of its victims.
Early in Smile, Rose reaches out to Dr. Madeline. It's a relatively brief encounter that establishes the history between the two therapists, while also making clear that Dr. Madeline is a reassuring presence and one of the few people in Rose's life that's willing to listen to her without judgment. Their relationship deteriorates, with Rose growing paranoid, and it sets the stage for Dr. Madeline's finale scene.
Near the end of Smile, Dr. Madeline visits Rose in her home. Madeline says that she wants to make sure her former patient isn't a danger to herself or those around her. Midway through their tense conversation, the phone rings. Dr. Madeline's demeanor shifts as she waits for Rose to answer. It turns out that Madeline is calling to apologize, and the person in Rose's home, sitting across from Rose, is the demon. The demon is wearing Madeline's face, which slowly twists into a menacing grin, and it has come to deliver a message to its next victim.
How Robin Weigert's Typecasting Makes Smile Better
Weigert is a familiar face to TV viewers. She received an Emmy nomination for her performance as Calamity Jane on Deadwood, and she's had major ing roles on shows like Jessica Jones and Sons of Anarchy. In more recent years, the actress has earned acclaim for portraying calm and measured therapists. She played Verena Baptist on Dietland, and she notably shared the screen with Nicole Kidman on Big Little Lies. Speaking in soothing tones and choosing each of her words carefully, Dr. Amanda Reisman helped Kidman's character, Celeste, get out of her abusive marriage. Even though Dr. Amanda was only a recurring character in Big Little Lies, Weigert's scenes with Kidman were some of the show's best and did a lot to elevate the dramatic and emotional heft of the series.
Smile leans into Weigert's filmography for a subversive effect. Dr. Madeline, too, speaks soothingly and carefully when the audience first meets her. She, like Weigert's other therapists, comes across as a warm and softly stern figure of authority. Even if you weren't familiar with Weigert's past roles, there is something truly dark about Rose's therapist stalking her and grabbing her face, and telling her that she will be the next victim. It would have worked with a different actor in the role.
It works even better with Weigert's filmography in mind, though. She's the person who essentially grabbed the hero of Big Little Lies by the arm and urged her to do the right thing. She's the one sitting across in all those emotionally wrenching sessions, having to listen to difficult confessions and then knowing just what needs to be said in response. She represents a force for good. Smile leverages this for a shocking twist, making Dr. Madeline literally the face of evil and deploying her authoritativeness for a cleverly sinister end.