Les parfums

In French with subtitles.

Lovely film about a famous French "nose" (Emmanuelle Devos) who can discern a huge variety of smells, making her perfect in the perfume industry.

She hires a driver, Guillaume (Gregory Montel) who is trying to improve his living situation so he can have his young daughter with him. He is desperate to keep his job, but Anne's demands rub him the wrong way. However, he is able to stand up to her, which not many do. The two develop a close bond.

When she loses her sense of smell, Guillaume is there for her during her struggle to regain it.

Very sweet film with excellent performances.

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.

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.

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

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 ».