Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

"4½/5⭐ + First and foremost this movie has the visual sweep of a period piece, but also the ambiance of an allegorical folktale. Its visual style, sound-mix, narration and performances create a textural world that feels real and dreamlike at the same time; a grotesquely, beautiful mix of literary cinema. I mostly enjoy how it creates a character as if directly from the cloth of humanity's craving and attachment. It opens up the story to rich symbolism that works so well with film. It also gets extra points for trying to portray the sense of smell, which in my opinion, is one of the toughest direct senses to represent on film (next to taste). It also works as one of the best modern psychological horror movies of recent time, at once nuanced and grandiose in the vain of a vivid Grimms Brother's tale. - Though I feel the portrayal of the sense of smell (and the importance given to it) works precisely because the movie is so vast in presentation, I was actuely aware of how it may fall short with others. Film is not primarily designed to tackle this aspect of art (similar to how music is not ideal in literature or graphic novels), and if you are not swept away in the story from the beginning, you may laugh at how it's portrayed in the movie. Also, the last 30 minutes are radically swallowed up by the allegorical rabbit hole that it may not land with some audiences (though I greatly admired it). Overall: Perfume: A Story Of A Murderer sets its sights on grand visuals and themes, bringing the filmmaker's vision to the screen at the risk of coming off as hokey, but I can't deny that it took immense courage to go for it. Like Darren Aronofsky's "mother!" Chances are you will either love it or hate it. I loved it and consider it an overlooked gem. Even if you end up disliking it, I still believe it deserves a chance. Not many films take the risks that this film takes."

"So good. Visually stunning too! "

"Best Horror/Thriller movie"

"Visual interpretation of smell. Some movies ideas are just so insanely creative and unique."

"How do you describe the ineffable enigma of a scent in words or in film? This is a masterpiece!"

"Honestly, I saw it years ago so I have bits and powers I remember. But as to what I DO remember, it was very mysterious and thrilling. Loved it!"

"It's a unique serial killer tale from the killer's perspective and i really enjoyed the writting and the story until watching the movie spoils the ending, which was a disappointment. Otherwise it was a fun ride all the way down"

"Dark side of passion "

"This was a great story of a murder that starts at the beginning to the end. "

"IT WAS JUST SOOO GOOD!!!"