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Smile is a 2005 American independent drama film directed by Jeffrey Kramer and starring Mika Boorem, Yi Ding, and Sean Astin. The movie revolves around a young Chinese girl, Lan, who travels to the United States to participate in the Miss Global Citizen pageant. The movie begins with Lan, an ambitious and confident girl, arriving in Los Angeles with her father. She is excited about the pageant and hopes to use it as a way to jumpstart her career in modeling. However, the pageant organizers and other contestants undermine her confidence by making her wear a revealing swimsuit and mock her lack of English fluency. Despite this, Lan remains determined to succeed and even manages to make friends with one of the other contestants, Amber, who helps her improve her English.

Throughout the week leading up to the pageant, the girls participate in various events and challenges. During a karaoke night, Lan impresses the judges and the audience with her singing and dancing skills, and she becomes a clear favorite to win the crown. However, tensions start to rise among the contestants as they compete for the title. Rivalries and personal conflicts begin to surface, and some of the girls resort to dirty tactics to gain an advantage.

As the day of the pageant approaches, Lan's confidence is shaken again when she overhears the organizers talking about how they want to pick a winner who will appeal to American audiences. Feeling like an outsider and realizing that her chances of winning are slim, Lan decides to quit the pageant. This decision puts a strain on her relationship with her father, who has invested a lot of money and hopes in her success.

In the end, Lan decides to come back to the pageant and give it her all. She delivers a heartfelt speech about the importance of cultural diversity and wins the crown, much to the delight of her father and supporters. The movie ends with Lan returning to China and contemplating her future, having gained new confidence and a sense of purpose.

Smile is an engaging and thought-provoking film that explores themes of identity, cultural exchange, and personal courage. The movie offers a nuanced and insightful portrayal of the pageant world and its impact on young women, highlighting the pressures and expectations that contestants face. The performances are strong, particularly from Mika Boorem, who gives a compelling portrayal of a young woman who must navigate cultural differences and self-doubt to achieve her dreams.

Overall, Smile is a touching and inspiring movie that will leave viewers with a smile on their face and a renewed appreciation for the power of perseverance and self-belief.

Smile is a 2005 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2 and a MetaScore of 47.