Film reviews: Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer
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What's the story?
In 18th-century Paris, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born and immediately abandoned in undignified circumstances in the middle of a fish market. Saved from near-certain death, Grenouille grows into a man (Ben Whishaw) with a super-refined sense of smell, despite being odourless himself. He finds work as an apprentice to master perfumer Baldini (Dustin Hoffman) but develops an obsession with bottling female scent and heads to perfume capital Grasse. Once there, however, he turns to murder to pursue his infatuation and raises the suspicions of a wealthy merchant (Alan Rickman), who suspects his own daugher (Rachel Hurd-Wood) may be at risk.
What we say
Patrick Suskind's novel Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer became a publishing phenomenon after it first appeared in 1985, selling more than 15 million copies worldwide. But the book, which chronicles the life of the brilliant and murderous perfumer Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, had been deemed unfilmable by many because of its graphic content.
Several directors have been linked to the project (from Ridley Scott to Tim Burton), yet it's German filmmaker Tom Tykwer who finally brings it to the big screen. The result remains vigorously faithful to the source material and, as a result, is likely to divide audiences over its merits, especially in light of its jaw-dropping finish. But it's a bold and often brilliant piece of work that rewards morbid fascination with some cracking performances and a unique experience.
Tykwer's film may sound like an 18th-century version of a Hannibal Lecter story but it neatly sidesteps such easy comparisons to maintain an identity of its own. Visually, it's often astounding, offsetting the stale stench of the Paris backstreets (shot in dour greys) with the lush colours of the fragrant French countryside. Such contrasts serve to make the violence more abhorrent but Tykwer never allows his camera to linger over the more graphic nature of the deaths (unlike the novel), pausing only to allow Grenouille the chance to admire each new scent.
As a result, audiences will find themselves enthralled by the direction the story takes them in, as well as stunned by the audacious spectacle of its conclusion.
Ben Whishaw cleverly turns Grenouille into a fascinating villain, displaying an almost primal instinct when choosing his victims, yet somehow retaining a sense of humanity. He relies on looks more than words but manages to transmit a range of emotions. Stalwart thesps Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman are also typically colossal - the former giving rise to several amusing moments as he seeks to utilise Grenouille's talent, and the latter providing a wily adversary.
Fans of the novel will delight in the fact that Tykwer has had the courage to keep Suskind's vision intact, while newcomers will watch with awe or disgust as he allows proceedings to run their course. No matter which side they ultimately fall, it's well worth picking up the scent.
Star rating:
Certificate: 15
Running time: 2hrs 27mins
Review: Rob Carnevale. Photo: Pathe
