Smile 2 and the Fregoli delusion
My wife and I went to see the sequel to the vastly entertaining Smile a couple of months ago and I spotted a rather ingenious plant by the film developers. The character played by Lukas Cage — Lewis Fregoli, actually refers to an incredibly rare psychiatric condition known as the Fregoli delusion.
What is it?
The Fregoli delusion is named for an Italian actor in the mid-twenties who was enormously popular — Leopoldo Fregoli. In essence, individuals with the Fregoli delusion hold the bizarre belief that different individuals are in fact the same person in a variety of guises. The Fregoli delusion is by no means the only misidentification delusion, another strange one includes Capgras’ delusion in which the individual believes that those closest to them such as family and friends have been replaced by imposters.
In the Medical Literature
An interesting case I found within the medical literature is of a 2022 case in which a thirty-four year old man presented with both Fregoli and Capgras delusions. He believed that his mother was an imposter and the doctor was in fact a childhood friend who was disguised.
Rather fortunately in this case, the man’s symptoms improved when he was provided with anti-psychotic medications. However, in the case of Capgras delusion, it has sometimes led to murder.
Conclusion
When film producers go the extra mile it’s always a boon to those with a keen eye for detail.
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