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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- Some films almost defy classification, and this movie -- a heady brew of Alfred Hitchcock's "Frenzy," "Les Miserables" and any number of Jack the Ripper thrillers -- is such a one. "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (Paramount/DreamWorks) proves a deeply disturbing but hypnotic story set in 18th-century France about an orphan named Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (British actor Ben Wishaw) -- impoverished and abused but gifted with an extraordinary sense of smell. He apprentices to a once-prominent perfumer, Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), after which -- incapable of normal love -- he becomes a serial killer in his quest to capture the scents of his young female victims (and thereby "preserve" their innocence), ultimately targeting the virginal daughter, Laura (Rachel Hurd-Wood), of wealthy merchant Antoine Richis (Alan Rickman), who's desperate to protect her. Thereafter, the film takes the familiar format of tracking down the killer before he strikes again. Director Tom ("Run, Lola, Run") Tykwer's artful adaptation of Patrick Suskind's 1985 best-seller -- allegedly the most successful German novel since "All Quiet on the Western Front" -- shows sensitivity in telling a story which could be utterly repellent in other hands, and without justifying the terrible deeds, succeeds in illuminating the protagonist's strange motivation with Christian -- love the sinner, hate the sin -- compassion. The film is greatly enhanced by a striking musical score composed by Tykwer (in collaboration with Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil), performed by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. Reasonably restrained in its overt violence, the film will nonetheless not be to every taste and should be approached with caution. The film contains aberrant violence including murder and bloodshed, partial nudity, an unflattering ecclesiastical character, and a climax involving mass eroticism with long-shot nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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