11 Best Movies Like Smile (Ranked & Where to Stream)

James Wan’s Malignant is a glorious, unhinged dive into the grotesque and the psychologically unsettling, making it a fantastic companion piece to Smile. Our protagonist, Madison, is plagued by horrifying visions of murders, only to discover these waking nightmares are terrifyingly real. What Malignant shares with Smile is that initial, disorienting sense of a protagonist being tormented by something unseen, undeniable, and deeply personal, which everyone else dismisses as mental illness. The film’s wild third act twists, coupled with its unique blend of body horror, slasher, and supernatural elements, deliver a fresh brand of terror that similarly questions the boundaries of sanity and reality.

Lights Out effectively translates a simple childhood fear into a deeply unsettling supernatural entity, much like Smile transforms a smile into a symbol of dread. The film's monster, Diana, is intrinsically linked to the protagonist Rebecca's mother's mental illness, feeding on darkness and emotional vulnerability. Rebecca's journey to protect her younger brother from this entity, which tormented her as a child, mirrors the struggle to understand and contain a contagious evil. The film masterfully uses light and shadow to build tension, and its exploration of how mental health issues can manifest as a terrifying, tangible threat feels acutely resonant with Smile's thematic core of a psychological burden made real.

Halle Berry stars in Gothika, a psychological horror that puts its protagonist, a criminal psychologist named Miranda Grey, squarely in a mental institution after she's accused of her husband's murder, a crime she can't remember. Like Smile's Rose, Miranda begins to experience terrifying visions and communications from a spectral entity, leading her to question her own sanity even as she desperately tries to uncover the truth. The film thrives on the unsettling premise of a medical professional suddenly becoming a patient, trapped in a system she once understood, battling both internal psychological breakdowns and a very real, external supernatural threat. It's a journey of self-doubt and horrifying discovery that echoes Smile's central conflict.

Mercy Black delves deep into the psychological aftermath of a childhood trauma linked to a supernatural entity, drawing clear parallels to Smile's exploration of past wounds and present curses. Marina, having just been released from a mental institution fifteen years after stabbing a classmate to conjure an evil spirit named Mercy Black, finds her past — and the entity — resurfacing. The film skillfully blurs the lines between mental illness, shared delusion, and genuine supernatural horror. It preys on the fear of an imaginary friend turning monstrously real, mirroring how Smile externalizes an internal torment, making for a chilling examination of a mind struggling against a pervasive, malevolent force.

The 1982 cult classic The Entity is a chilling and often disturbing depiction of a woman terrorized by an invisible, malevolent force. Carla Moran’s claims are met with skepticism and outright dismissal by psychiatrists who attempt to explain her experiences through the lens of psychological trauma, very much echoing the medical gaslighting and doubt faced by Smile's protagonist. The film is a harrowing exploration of helplessness and disbelief, as Carla fights to prove the reality of her unseen assailant. Its strength lies in its relentless portrayal of an individual under siege, with no one to believe her, making it a foundational film in the 'unseen menace, sanity questioned' subgenre Smile draws from.

Nocebo presents a fascinating, unsettling blend of psychological illness and supernatural folk horror that shares a palpable dread with Smile. Christine, a fashion designer, suffers from a mysterious illness that baffles doctors, only to find relief — and deeper terror — through the help of a mysterious Filipina caregiver. The film masterfully weaves themes of unseen affliction, psychological deterioration, and the body's betrayal, all while hinting at a deeper, malevolent supernatural influence. Like Smile, it plunges its protagonist into a reality where their physical and mental well-being is under attack by forces beyond conventional understanding, leading to a chilling exploration of dread and cultural curses.

6 Souls (also known as Shelter) features Julianne Moore as a forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Cara Harding, who encounters a patient with multiple personalities. The premise takes a terrifying turn when she discovers that each personality belongs to a murder victim, hinting at a supernatural or deeply psychological evil at play. This film shares with Smile the unsettling notion of a medical professional being drawn into a case that defies logical explanation, forcing her to confront a reality far more terrifying than she could have imagined. The slow-burn dread and the unraveling mystery behind the patient's condition resonate with Smile's own psychological descent and the desperate search for answers.

The Prodigy taps into a profound parental fear: what if your child is not truly your own, but rather a vessel for something evil? Miles, a seemingly normal young boy, begins exhibiting disturbingly violent and manipulative behavior that his mother, Sarah, suspects has supernatural origins. This film aligns with Smile in its portrayal of a protagonist grappling with an entity that has latched onto someone, causing extreme psychological distress and a frantic search for understanding or a cure. The chilling performance by the young actor and the mother's desperate struggle to save her child, while questioning what she's truly fighting, evokes a similar sense of helpless dread.

While more of a gothic psychological thriller than outright horror, Stonehearst Asylum echoes Smile's themes of unreliable reality and institutional terror. An Oxford graduate takes a position at a remote mental institution, only to uncover a sinister conspiracy that blurs the lines between patient and doctor, sanity and madness. The film masterfully crafts an atmosphere of unsettling deception and psychological manipulation, where the protagonist — much like Rose in Smile — finds himself in a situation where his perceptions are constantly challenged, and the very foundations of his reality are unstable. It’s a beautifully shot, unsettling descent into a world where trust is a fatal luxury.

Come Play offers a modern take on the supernatural entity by linking its monster, Larry, to digital screens and the theme of loneliness. Oliver, a non-verbal autistic boy, finds solace in his tablet, only for a mysterious creature to manifest through his devices. The film shares with Smile the concept of an insidious entity that specifically targets and terrorizes an individual, slowly encroaching upon their life and exploiting their vulnerabilities. The creature’s persistent presence and the growing psychological toll it takes on Oliver and his parents, who initially struggle to believe what's happening, create a palpable sense of dread and helplessness, similar to Smile's relentless curse.

The eighth film in The Conjuring universe, The Devil Made Me Do It, brings a unique, more psychologically driven narrative to the franchise, aligning it with Smile's focus on internal torment. Based on a real-life court case, it follows the demonic possession of Arne Johnson, who claims he committed murder while under supernatural influence. This entry delves deeply into the psychological toll of possession, depicting Arne's terrifying visions and mental degradation. Like Smile, it showcases a protagonist grappling with an external evil that manifests as internal madness, compelling them to terrifying acts while their sanity and culpability are vehemently questioned by society and the law.