Immersing us in a world of intoxicating sensory pleasures, Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer is an audacious, dreamlike work, which will either seduce you or leave you cold.
Based on Patrick Suskind's seemingly unfilmable novel, Tom Tykwer's ravishing picture attempts to convey the invisible delights of a lingering fragrance within the cinematic framework.
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Whishaw) is cruelly discarded by his mother, before greedy orphanage owner Madame Gaillard (Thomas) takes the child under her wing.
From an early age, Grenouille develops an obsession with the world of aromas: in particular, the scent of a pretty fruit vendor (Karoline Herfurth), whom he kills by accident.
Haunted by the smell of the dead girl, Grenouille secures work as an apprentice to renowned parfumier Giuseppe Baldini (Hoffman). Grenouille soon realises that the ingredients for his ultimate perfume can only be harvested from the dead bodies of young women.
And so he embarks on a killing spree, targeting the virginal Laura Richis (Hurd-Wood) as his final victim, except her merchant father Antoine (Rickman) senses the impending danger, and spirits her far away.
The pedestrian pace gathers momentum as the authorities close in on the killer, building to a climax at a public execution.
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