Review of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) by Sarah T — 24 Jan 2010

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I felt that simply by watching it my senses were heightened. It was a sensory experience; I was sucked into the streets of Paris by the scents of rotting fish and sewage of his upbringing and then the grass, rose petals, plums and fine perfumes, like Amor and Psyche that breathe life into him. It was truly gripping and beautifully made; a strange concept, almost like a twisted fairytale, an idea that is emphasised by John Hurt's storyteller narration. It even has moments of dark humour along with the disturbing scenes. Ben Whishaw is excellent as Jean-Baptiste. We are left with such a complex opinion of him. He kills all these young women and yet one does not find him a typical murderer. He doesn't kill because he wants to- I think he barely considers or understands the concept of killing- it is merely a means to getting the scent, and in his dettached view of the world and everyone in it, perfume is everything, nothing else matters. People are ingredients, not beings of feeling.

At first I found it odd that the film was not in French, but the actors were cast so well and script not a central point of the film, that it didn't really matter.