Review: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

UK release date: 26th December

Novelist Patrick Süskind’s so-called “unfilmable” story of obsession and murder in 18th-century France gets a ravishing big-screen adaptation courtesy of Run Lola Run director Tom Tykwer. An offbeat and sensuous adult fairy tale, it revolves around a chilling turn by Ben Whishaw (Enduring Love) as the Parisian perfumer’s apprentice, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Born with an exceptional sense of smell, Grenouille becomes monstrously fixated on preserving the aroma of young women — particularly the only daughter of merchant Antoine Richis (a poignant Alan Rickman). The tragic horror that unfolds has a seductive quality reminiscent of German Expressionist cinema, which gives Grenouille’s crimes and motivations a darkly romantic edge. But it’s the extraordinary visuals and evocative soundtrack that are the movie’s greatest strengths, re-creating a pungent era so vividly that every frame conjures up mental fragrances. This really is a mesmerising experience, though the faithfulness to the source material makes the film excessively long and occasionally sluggish.

Radio Times rating:

***

UK cinema certificate 15
Running time 147mins

Review by Sloan Freer