The story of a friendship between a selfish fragrance designer who is one of the best in her field, and her chauffeur who needs to cling to his job so that he can live with his daughter. There are no surprises or twists in the film, and everything falls into place where you expect it to. Even so, the chemistry between the two lead actors is so great that these cliches seem acceptable. A refreshing French comedy with a few laughs.
11 Reviews
: A Symphony of Senses - Les Parfums (2019)
alzeem-3495328 April 2023
Les Parfums (2019) is a charming French dramedy that follows the intriguing world of Anne Walberg (Emmanuelle Devos), a talented but prickly perfumer, and her unlikely bond with her troubled driver, Guillaume Favre (Grégory Montel). Director Grégory Magne skillfully tells a story full of humor, intelligence, and subtle character growth.
Devos shines as the moody Anne, who has lost her reputation in the perfume business because of her hard-to-please attitude. Montel, as Guillaume, plays the role of a single dad trying to reconnect with his distant daughter. Together, they become an odd couple, helping each other to restore Anne's career and Guillaume's family life.
The cinematography is gorgeous, showing the scenic countryside of France and the intricate craft of perfume making. The film's music also enhances the story's emotional richness and the characters' personal transformation.
Les Parfums (2019) is not only a revealing look into the perfume industry but also a touching tale of two imperfect individuals finding comfort and healing in each other's presence. While the film's pace may seem slow at times, it allows for a deeper appreciation of the characters and their individual journeys.
Overall, Les Parfums (2019) is a well-made movie that will enchant audiences with its witty humor, captivating plot, and the irresistible chemistry between Devos and Montel. It's a sensory experience that will stay with you long after the movie ends.
Devos shines as the moody Anne, who has lost her reputation in the perfume business because of her hard-to-please attitude. Montel, as Guillaume, plays the role of a single dad trying to reconnect with his distant daughter. Together, they become an odd couple, helping each other to restore Anne's career and Guillaume's family life.
The cinematography is gorgeous, showing the scenic countryside of France and the intricate craft of perfume making. The film's music also enhances the story's emotional richness and the characters' personal transformation.
Les Parfums (2019) is not only a revealing look into the perfume industry but also a touching tale of two imperfect individuals finding comfort and healing in each other's presence. While the film's pace may seem slow at times, it allows for a deeper appreciation of the characters and their individual journeys.
Overall, Les Parfums (2019) is a well-made movie that will enchant audiences with its witty humor, captivating plot, and the irresistible chemistry between Devos and Montel. It's a sensory experience that will stay with you long after the movie ends.
It could have been a perfect comedy but
Aatchoum2 July 2020
A few scenes are surprisingly suddenly cut, leaving spectators hungry and a bit angry, wanting to know what could have happened and often could have been very funny. Maybe the director, and script writer himself, suffered from a few minutes of lack of inspiration. Too bad.
The movie is saved by the actors, especially
Emmanuelle Devos, perfect, very realistic and true-to-life in the role of the « nose ».
Perfumes - Interesting little film about unlikely friendship
donnagrei9 October 2022
This is a good little independent French film that has humor and heart. It's a story for adults, but without sex, thought provoking, and has both humor and sadness. The two main actors are wonderfully understated here and believable as we watch their friendship emerge. I was reminded a little bit of the early seasons of BONES.
Perhaps it's me as an American viewer who doesn't get some of the choices made in structuring the film. Some scenes are cut seemingly short, we never know how she solved the "handbag smell" or stinky factory problem. Likewise, we don't see how she begins to create perfumes again. There is often some wonderful tension in scenes, tension that doesn't fully play out to dramatic effect. It made me wonder what else we missed from these capable actors? But perhaps this is the French way and I'm just used to American dramatics, overacting, and having many more details given for "the swelling of a scene?"
I also subtracted a couple of stars because while this is an enjoyable quiet type of film, the ending did seem highly unlikely considering he was a chauffeur and didn't have her chemistry background (at least she appeared to have a chemistry education). Perhaps had we seen more of them beginning to work together as a team to solve a customer problem together, this wouldn't have seemed such fairy tale type ending. Also, the scene with her doctor was just very odd - it played more like he was going to be a potential romantic interest or something, which felt off and didn't quite mesh with where the story was at at that moment. Nice film, but could've been edited better.
Perhaps it's me as an American viewer who doesn't get some of the choices made in structuring the film. Some scenes are cut seemingly short, we never know how she solved the "handbag smell" or stinky factory problem. Likewise, we don't see how she begins to create perfumes again. There is often some wonderful tension in scenes, tension that doesn't fully play out to dramatic effect. It made me wonder what else we missed from these capable actors? But perhaps this is the French way and I'm just used to American dramatics, overacting, and having many more details given for "the swelling of a scene?"
I also subtracted a couple of stars because while this is an enjoyable quiet type of film, the ending did seem highly unlikely considering he was a chauffeur and didn't have her chemistry background (at least she appeared to have a chemistry education). Perhaps had we seen more of them beginning to work together as a team to solve a customer problem together, this wouldn't have seemed such fairy tale type ending. Also, the scene with her doctor was just very odd - it played more like he was going to be a potential romantic interest or something, which felt off and didn't quite mesh with where the story was at at that moment. Nice film, but could've been edited better.
A quasi perfect movie
felixperez-5104710 November 2020
Hugely disappointing
rhawdon27 July 2021
Great chance squandered. Intriguing premise, good actors, but like so many French films dissolved into yawn-provoking and meandering storyline, irrelevant sidetracks, undeveloped dramatic situations. When will the French learn to actually tell a STORY??
Incredible! There are also films that do not aggress us, that do not seek to subconsciously slip any false idea or something bad.
yasin-998966 February 2021
A very interesting film because it treats in a unique way the creation of a soul connection between the 2 main characters, the perfumer and the driver.
I found out totally new and unusual things for a movie about the world of smells.
A human film, full of emotions, feelings, a film in which nothing false, nothing exaggerated intervenes.
The actors play excellently and the action is very well developed throughout the film so that you don't get bored for a moment
Another bit of French Rubbish
qui_j25 September 2022
The French make movies to try and show how much more clever they feel they are when compared to every other being on the globe. This movies is no different to any other French production. The dialog is silly, and is solely an attempt to try and show their knowledge of philosophy, and the finer things in life.
The plot is too silly for words and eventually loses its way and meanders all over the place, before becoming a total "snooze fest"! It's got to always end with a non-committal ending that's supposed to keep the audience guessing and reflect on the "cleverness" of it all. If only they would just learn how to tell a story in a logical and ordered manner, it would stop a lot of this "ordure" from streaming out into cyberspace!
The plot is too silly for words and eventually loses its way and meanders all over the place, before becoming a total "snooze fest"! It's got to always end with a non-committal ending that's supposed to keep the audience guessing and reflect on the "cleverness" of it all. If only they would just learn how to tell a story in a logical and ordered manner, it would stop a lot of this "ordure" from streaming out into cyberspace!
Excellent French movie.
snideelf21 July 2022
The actress is very beautiful.
The cinematography of France is beautiful.
Great story about a woman who creates fragrances.
The movie is more a drama/comedy.
Very well made movie and very entertaining.
The situations are all very believable.
The cinematography of France is beautiful.
Great story about a woman who creates fragrances.
The movie is more a drama/comedy.
Very well made movie and very entertaining.
The situations are all very believable.
Could be a tv movie...
jrbhyd8 April 2024
Properly done ... image and sound... but so slow that we loose interest in the characters, as for the story , difficult to find any.
Emmanuelle Devos holds the movie, still the other characters have no credibility.
How can you make such a dull movie?
The image is soft and beautiful, as the choice of the locations.
Still I didn't believe in the story , the secondary characters... Sorry , I don't know the director but I wonder how he was able to find a producer, The soundtrack is almost too good as it is the only thing I will remember .
.......... No spoiler as there is no story, nothing... I can't even find words to describe such a non movie.
Emmanuelle Devos holds the movie, still the other characters have no credibility.
How can you make such a dull movie?
The image is soft and beautiful, as the choice of the locations.
Still I didn't believe in the story , the secondary characters... Sorry , I don't know the director but I wonder how he was able to find a producer, The soundtrack is almost too good as it is the only thing I will remember .
.......... No spoiler as there is no story, nothing... I can't even find words to describe such a non movie.
I liked this one.
tildiz14916 June 2023
A very long time ago I watched "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989). There are some similarities between that movie and "Perfumes". Not many, but some. Ms Daisy and Anne Walberg are both bossy and yes, it takes a while for them to connect with new people.
Annes driver Guillaume Favre is a divorced man. He has a daughter that he wants to have shared custody of. In other words, he really needs his job. Guillaume isn´t afraid to speak his mind. He doesn´t put up with everything that Anne does or says. But I also think that Anne and Guillaume develop themselves as humans together.
I missed more info about Guillaumes ex-wife. Why did their marriage end? And why is Anne Walberg still single? But all in all I do recommend this movie. I liked it and, who knows, you might like it too.
Annes driver Guillaume Favre is a divorced man. He has a daughter that he wants to have shared custody of. In other words, he really needs his job. Guillaume isn´t afraid to speak his mind. He doesn´t put up with everything that Anne does or says. But I also think that Anne and Guillaume develop themselves as humans together.
I missed more info about Guillaumes ex-wife. Why did their marriage end? And why is Anne Walberg still single? But all in all I do recommend this movie. I liked it and, who knows, you might like it too.
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