Smile (2022) turns the simple act of grinning into a harbinger of pure dread. A breakout psychological horror hit, the film follows Dr. Rose Cotter as she’s stalked by a malevolent entity that wears a terrifying smile — and spreads through traumatic encounters.
Did you keep your eyes open through every chilling scene? This 10-question trivia quiz will test your memory of the film’s themes, twists, and cursed chain of events. Just one question… are you smiling now?
Smile (2022) Trivia Questions & Answers
Here are the correct answers and detailed explanations for Smile (2022) — a chilling descent into psychological terror, trauma, and the horrors that wear a grin.
1) Who plays the lead role of Dr. Rose Cotter in Smile (2022)?
Correct Answer: Sosie Bacon
Sosie Bacon delivers a gripping and emotional performance as Rose, a psychiatrist unraveling under the weight of a supernatural curse. Her portrayal of escalating dread and mental deterioration is central to the film’s impact.
2) What traumatic event does Rose witness that begins the curse?
Correct Answer: A patient dies by suicide in front of her
The curse begins when Rose witnesses a patient, Laura, kill herself while wearing a horrifying, unnatural smile. This trauma transfers the entity to Rose, starting her own nightmarish descent.
3) What is the defining characteristic of the entity’s victims?
Correct Answer: They smile unnaturally before dying
The entity manipulates its victims to smile eerily before dying — typically by suicide in front of a witness. These smiles are not joyful but deeply disturbing, serving as the entity’s terrifying trademark.
4) What is Rose’s profession?
Correct Answer: Psychiatrist
Rose works in a psychiatric ward and is trained to deal with trauma — yet she quickly finds herself unable to rationalize what’s happening to her. The film explores the limits of clinical understanding when confronted with the supernatural.
5) What does Rose discover about the curse?
Correct Answer: It passes through traumatic witness events
The curse spreads like a virus — each person who witnesses a cursed individual’s traumatic death becomes the next target. This cyclical chain of trauma becomes the film’s core metaphor and engine for terror.
6) What item is repeatedly associated with Rose’s trauma and the entity?
Correct Answer: A dead cat
Rose’s birthday gift — her pet cat found dead and wrapped — becomes a horrifying moment in the film. The cat’s death is both personal and symbolic, representing the intrusion of the entity into her personal life and psyche.
7) Who is Joel in relation to Rose?
Correct Answer: Her ex-boyfriend and a police officer
Joel, played by Kyle Gallner, is Rose’s ex and one of the few people who tries to help her. As a police officer, he assists her in investigating the curse’s history, making him a crucial — and ultimately endangered — character.
8) How do people attempt to escape the curse?
Correct Answer: By killing someone in front of a witness
The only way to break the curse, as discovered by one survivor, is to commit a murder in front of a witness — transferring the trauma to someone else. This revelation forces Rose to grapple with her morality, guilt, and desperation.
9) What twist occurs at the end of the film?
Correct Answer: The curse is not broken and spreads to Joel
Despite her attempts to confront the entity and isolate herself, Rose ultimately succumbs — and Joel, arriving too late, becomes the next link in the chain. The film ends with a bleak, cyclical conclusion that emphasizes the inescapability of trauma.
10) How would you describe the tone of Smile (2022)?
Correct Answer: Psychological horror with themes of trauma and dread
Smile isn’t just about jump scares — it’s a slow-burning, anxiety-inducing story rooted in unresolved trauma, guilt, and psychological torment. Its horror is internal and existential, making the fear feel more personal and lasting.
