Perfumes

Director: Gregory Magne
Starring: Emmanuelle Devos, Gregory Montel, Zelie Rixhon, Sergi Lopez, Gustave Kervern, Pauline Moulene
Distributor: Other
Runtime: 100 mins. Reviewed in Jul 2021
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Occasional coarse language

An alternate title might have been Driving Mademoiselle Walberg. Mademoiselle Anne Walberg (Devos) is a demanding woman (rather an imperious lady) and Guillaume (Montel) is her chauffeur. And, yes, there are plenty of perfumes throughout the film – unfortunately, being a film, the audience hears only verbal descriptions rather than the smelling the exotic sounding perfumes.

Veteran actress, Emmanuelle Devos, is a compelling Mademoiselle, while Montel is believable as her chauffeur.

It can be said that this is a film which you could take anyone to see – not something that you can say about a lot of films these days. But, Perfumes is interesting, entertaining, often moving.

We meet Guillaume first. He’s a touch abrasive, separated from his wife, meeting with a judge to discuss week by week custody of his daughter. He lives in a small apartment (which the judge tells him is too small for his daughter’s privacy), so is scouting for better accommodation. He depends, especially for the income, on his job as a chauffeur.

It is through Guillaume that we are introduced to Mademoiselle Walberg, who eventually reveals herself as Anne. She is older, haughty and definitely not a please and thank you person. And, if there is a word beyond fastidious, it would apply to her. She is highly sensitive to scents and perfumes. With such treatment, Guillaume is not an enthusiastic chauffeur – but she keeps asking for him.

The action of the film consists of ups and downs. Ups include Guillaume discovering that Anne is a Nose (not on the nose but rather, an ability to differentiate an enormous range of scents and perfumes and to remember their origins). We see her in action, advising a company of handbag makers whose leather has something of an offputting odour, surveying a factory which emits smoke and rotten smells. Anne has solutions – has Guillaume take notes and asks his opinion. He, in the meantime, urges her to become more sociable, even polite.

Downs include Anne losing her abilities, time in hospital, and greater awareness of her loneliness. Guillaume’s downs include losing points with his employer and therefore losing his licence, explaining to his daughter on her 10th birthday that they will have to wait for the new apartment.

The film is upbeat at the end, Anne insisting that Guillaume work with her – and, delightfully, Guillaume going to one of those classes where the child gets a parent to explain their job. We leave Guillaume explaining to the rapt class, scents and combinations for perfumes. While it has strong-minded sentiment it is never cloying, and can be described pleasingly as ‘nice’.

Peter Malone MSC