Perfume (2001)

• Year: 2001
• Released: 26 Jan 2001
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245356/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/perfume
• Metacritics:
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 106 min
• Writer: Michael Rymer, L.M. Kit Carson
• Director: Michael Rymer
• Cast: Lysa Apostle, Joanne Baron, Morena Baccarin
• Keywords: new york city, fashion photographer, model, fashion show, publicist, fashion industry,

3.6/10

Perfume Storyline

‘Perfume’ chronicles one week in the lives of over a dozen people involved in the magazine and entertainment business of New York City. The central characters include Italian designer Lorenzo Mancini who learns that he’s dying from cancer and decides to get his affairs in order with his wife Irine and his business partner Guido. Lorenzo’s son Mario is a recording promoter who’s latest client is hip-hop rapper J.B.. Roberta is a designer hard-pressed to fill out a latest dress design for the next Broadway show her group is putting on. Other characters are Jamie, a crafty agent whose latest client, Camille finds success but affects their relationship in ways he never planned and fails to deal with. Leese Hotton is a has-been model/actress trying to make a comeback into the spotlight; Janice Crawford is a wealthy publisher and control freak whose problems escalate with the arrival of her estranged teenage daughter Halley whom Janice abandoned her and everything else for her career years ago.—Matt Patay

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Perfume Movie Reviews

Boring, Shallow, Artificial – Looks a Sequel of the Awful “Prêt-à-Porter”

I bought this VHS attracted and curious by the beautiful and unknown Estella Warren, highlighted in the cover of the Brazilian VHS, and the long list of famous actors and actresses, including Sonia Braga. However, this movie proves that quantity will never mean quality (only in “IMDb User Rating”) – “Perfume” is indeed a boring and shallow movie, with very artificial lines. This crap looks like a sequel of the awful Robert Altman’s “Prêt-à-Porter”. The characters are not well developed, most of them only appear to give their names to the credits and create expectation of a good movie; the storyline about the world fashion is terrible and ambitious; and the awkward actress Leslie Mann, who plays one of the lead roles, has unpleasant and terrible tone of voice and corporal posture. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): “Perfume”

Ode de parfum

“Perfume” is apparently supposed to be a behind the scenes look at the world of high fashion; designers, models, photographers, gurus, wanabees, divas, dilettantes, etc. all involved in their daily esoteric industry activities in NYC. In spite of an even temperament and a sense of earnestness, this project just proves again that a good cast a good film does not make. A lackluster flick which wanders from one stagey scene to another showing us stammering characters with little depth while leaving us feeling disconnected, “Perfume” is marginally entertaining at best. With no story per se, no one to care about, and no clear insights into the fashion biz, there’s little reason to recommend this fragrance. (C)

Unexpectedly Ambitious

Wow, I never expected to find myself in the position of defending a film like “Perfume” which I only watched because Angela Bettis had a small role. But having recently viewed similar fashion industry/magazine films, “Fashionably LA” and “The Intern”, I am unexpectedly well versed in this narrow sub-genre. Coming from that perspective “Perfume” is a lyrical masterpiece, both more ambitious and more successful than those two disasters. But since everything is relative this comparison may not translate into anything very useful for the prospective viewer.

First on the agenda is a cautionary statement about the trailer, the DVD cover, and the general promotional campaign. The cast is grossly misrepresented. Carmen Electra is given first billing but appears in only one short scene, a wide shot of her talking to Paul Sorvino. Supermodel Estella Warren is highlighted on the promotional poster but is just window dressing in two scenes. The five biggest parts are played by Rita Wilson, Leslie Munn, Joanne Baron, Jared Harris, and Sorvino, none of whom are even mentioned in the promotional materials.

But promotional misrepresentation, even to this extreme, has no relationship to the quality of the film. What “Perfume” has going for it (like Robert Altman’s “Pret a Porter”) is success working on two levels, as a glimpse inside the fashion industry and as a metaphorical extension (of what it reveals) to our day-to-day struggle in the competitive world. Whether we are artists, artisans, robots, or drones; each day is one of struggle with external competitors and internal demons.

How well the film works for individual viewers will be determined by the identification process, which will naturally be easier for those familiar with the world of high fashion or with other environments where creativity is exploited for profit.

Although “Perfume” was a scripted film there is considerable improvisation in the performances, with mixed results. For example, Harris and Mariel Hemingway do a photographer/model photo shoot where his improv is excellent and hers is somewhat lame. Although this initially seems like poor directing, on reflection it is more authentic than giving Hemingway carefully scripted lines and a smooth delivery.

“Perfume” is recommended for those who might identify with its setting or its themes. The production design, the editing, and the soundtrack are first class. But if you are annoyed rather than challenged by films with an elliptical storytelling technique and many characters you would do well to give this one a wide berth.

Then again, what do I know? I’m only a child.