Perfume (2001)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Directors:

Michael Rymer
Hunter Carson

Writers (WGA):

Michael Rymer (written by) &
L.M. Kit Carson (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A week in the lives of a group of models, photographers, agents, reporters, publicists and other characters during a wild modeling show in New York City.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Photographer | Modeling | Female Nudity | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Lysa Apostle	...	Melissa
Joanne Baron	...	Janice Crawford
Morena Baccarin	...	Monica (as Monrena Baccarin)
Kylie Bax	...	Maitre D'
Angela Bettis	...	Wilemina
Heather J. Braden	...	Model
Sonia Braga	...	Irene Mancini
D.W. Brown	...	Morton
Chemin-Martinez Carroll	...	Posse Member 13
Leslie Mann	...	Camille
Hunter Carson	...	Peter McMichaels
Murielle Arden	...	Heidi (as Murielle Cohen)
Carol Commissiong	...	Vendela
Sara Conca	...	Model #2
Eve Cook	...	Model

Also Known As:

Dress to Kill (USA) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Philippines:PG-13 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

MainPix

Trivia:

All the dialog was created by the actors.

Movie Connections:

References "The Mighty Mouse Playhouse" (1955)

Soundtrack:

Quia Respixit Humilitatum

Yet another film trying too hard to imitate Woody Allen...Narcissism isn't funny anymore

Taking on the fashion world- not a difficult thing to portray as far as shallowness and alienation. The only actor who is well used is Michelle Williams, as the disaffected daughter of a vain self-centered NY fashion magazine (or ragazine) editor. Think Helen Gurley Brown, or read the NY Times review of Ms. Brown's take on younger generations (in her case this means at least five) and the selfishness as they don't offer her a seat on a NYC crosstown bus. Good for a few laughs. However, I digress.

Jeff Goldblum is usually very good, but comes off as a whiny unsympathetic player; Harris Yulin is wasted as a fashion maven, who recruits young talent. Paul Sorvino portrays a Versace-like designer, whose partner is Peter Gallagher; unintentionally comical. Sonia Braga is also wasted, as she is not used for more than twenty minutes of the film.

The worst segment by far is the sequence with Mariel Hemingway- ..."you know pashminas are so out now, don't you"?"... some gofer for the fash mag tells her; the tone is affected and the camera angles disturbing.

Narcissism really isn't funny anymore. Now that we have it 24/7 with reality TV and other trash cranked out regularly for the public, the only way to make a film with this subject matter, is something along the lines of "Pret a Porter" (ready to wear) which was utterly stupid, but at least made fun of itself without a futile attempt at cleverness.