Movie Review

Laura Smiles (2007)

Reviewed by Owen Gleiberman | Aug 01, 2007

Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman is a film critic for EW

Share
Comments
Add your comment

EW's GRADE

B+

Details Limited Release: Jul 27, 2007; Rated: R; Length: 94 Minutes; Genre: Drama; With: Kip Pardue and Petra Wright

RAGE OF LOVE Wright is a suburban woman who loses her man — and with him a piece of her soul — in Laura Smiles

More reviews about this film Powered by MRQE.com

There aren't many movies that embrace the power of a woman's erotic rage, but Jason Ruscio's video-shot angst-of-the-suburbs psychodrama Laura Smiles is fueled by it. As Laura, who loses the man she loves (Kip Pardue) and ends up married, miserable, and lashing out in a promiscuous fury, Petra Wright quivers with lust and fear — an eclipse of the soul made terrifyingly real. Then the film leaps back, with surprising tenderness, to see who she was before. There's an unconvincing last-act twist, but this is the movie Little Children wanted to be.

Originally posted Aug 02, 2007 Published in issue #947 Aug 10, 2007 Order article reprints

Share
Comments
Add your comment

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.