Review of Perfect Sense (2011) by Jeffrey M — 17 Jul 2013

An indie and romantic take on the apocalyptic genre, Perfect Sense focuses on a romance amidst a bizarre outbreak which affects the senses. The result is something truly bleak, interesting, cinematically daring, yet not entirely engaging.

What Perfect Sense does well is the romance between Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. Both have a palpable chemistry on screen, and the film uses the progressive loss of each individual sense to test that relationship. Thus, the emotional trajectory feels real, and the stakes stay interesting. The strain felt by both Green and McGregor gives us the sort of relationship dynamic that the film's apocalyptic nature needs.

The problem, however, is that the actual outbreak itself is never examined to any real effect. The way the film would make it seem, there are three scientists (Eva Green included) working on the 'virus' in total. No answers are provided, and no one seems particularly earnest in solving the mystery. Instead, the film just embraces a bleakness that seems more the result of apathy than inevitability. Had the film explored its origins, and done more with the global response, Perfect Sense would have been much more compelling. Instead, it never serves as anything more than an interesting backdrop.

The confined nature of Perfect Sense is also used to mixed effect. The relationship between Green and McGregor is intimate and well told, but the surrounding characters feel very thin. There's no development to make us care about anyone other than Green and McGregor, and little to suggest they really care.

To be sure, Perfect Sense deserves credit for how it conveys the loss of hearing, sound, and taste on film. There are long stretches of silence, and moments of darkness. The premise is thus used to some effect, but never as engaging as one would hope.

An overall mixed bag, which ultimately prevails due to the strong central performances.

3/5 Stars.