Go rent it.I wish I could just leave it at that, but I'm a blabbermouth by nature and I don't think many people will be convinced. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer begins with the unfortunate Dickens-like character's birth and follows his unfortunate tale with bits of dark humor. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille was born in 1738 in a fish market in Paris with absolutely nothing except the most acute sense of smell. The blessing serves him well but doesn't move him until he smells the best, most wonderful, alluring scent in the world. After loosing the scent, Grenouille becomes obsessed with possessing and keeping the scent, no matter what the cost.
Acting: awesome. Costumes: average. Art Direction: absolutely AMAZING! If you are looking for something different or something to watch with non 18th century buffs I would recommend this movie. Actually, I am recommending it anyway because it's overall good quality. I will also note that the movie is based on the book by Patrick Suskind and probably became popular when it became public knowledge that it was Kurt Cobain's favourite read. What can I say, the man had a taste for the dramatic.
Oh dear. I went to see Perfume in the theater, and I absolutely HATED it. I tried really hard not to, for Alan Rickman's sake if nothing else, but the ending is so utterly ridiculous...
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I know mine is not the majority opinion. Just about everyone else I knew that saw it thought it was amazing. Not everyone, but certainly most.
I thought the film was a fabulous adaptation of the book (which I have been a fan of for 15 yrs). It is a rivoting, erotic and creepy story brought to life so adeptly -- the only failing I thought was casting Dustin Hoffman as Baldini, the Italian perfumer. I just don't think Hoffman has much range as an actor and he seemed out of place in a period piece.
ReplyDeleteBut Ben Whishaw's performance as Grenouille is phenominal: somehow he made an impossibly disturbed character compelling and turns the concept of "morality" on it ear.
The soundtrack is superb also.