As soon as I watched the "Smile" posters it immediately became evident to me the analogy to that great Flash. I remember watching that movie, even commenting it afterwards, with a heavy weight in my heart as if that dystopia were true - breathing people's illusions. This becomes an expansion on that concept, of nightmarish grandeur, and that's why I got chills in the first place... The lifeless smiles, the culture of image draining the very life from you, and the illusion of getting rid of your crappy life. Was it worth? Hell no. Prole 514 was lured by the merciless industry, aspiring to become one of them by abandoning his own safe lair when the chance occurred. He became what he probably hated most, and forced to live a non-life forever. Sure, his former life wasn't that bright and he maybe didn't even have the money to eat... but at least he was free. Of dreaming.
Wonderful,
KKS