Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: December 29, 2006
7.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 186 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
142
Mixed:
24
Negative:
20
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
JochenD.Jul 15, 2009
One of the best films ever made. Great direction and cinemathography, magnificent decors, great performances, great music, ... Tom Tykwer did what Stanley Kubrick found impossible: he adapted Suskind's wonderful novel to a fantastic One of the best films ever made. Great direction and cinemathography, magnificent decors, great performances, great music, ... Tom Tykwer did what Stanley Kubrick found impossible: he adapted Suskind's wonderful novel to a fantastic movie. An outstanding masterpiece.… Expand
3 of 3 users found this helpful
9
skadosmenOct 5, 2013
this movie makes me feel that life is an art! any smell, color sound is perfect a visual beauty highlighting the most beautiful colors and places. on the other hand shows a macabre and brutal reality of this times! Perfume is a Great anthis movie makes me feel that life is an art! any smell, color sound is perfect a visual beauty highlighting the most beautiful colors and places. on the other hand shows a macabre and brutal reality of this times! Perfume is a Great an powerful Masterpiece full of love passion art music colors and murder.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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8
JohnE.Sep 15, 2007
First I'd like to say that Nanifaye P. is an idiot and only an idiot would rationalize this movie by comparing it to Iraq and insulting the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers and our country. It's unfortunate that my review First I'd like to say that Nanifaye P. is an idiot and only an idiot would rationalize this movie by comparing it to Iraq and insulting the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers and our country. It's unfortunate that my review will likely be edited before posting (if posted at all) since it's not PC at the moment to insult other reviewers, but sadly on the other hand, it is quite fashionable to trash anything and everyone that has anything to do with Iraq without a shred of logic to one's insane accusations. On a separate note, the movie was great with a very original storyline coupled with excellent acting and directing. Oh and to answer your question Nanifaye P., what's horrific is that you seem to believe every last bit of nonsense you hear and have the gusto to regurgitate it in something as apolitical as a movie review about perfume. Quite frankly, I'm not quite sure who's sicker, the main character of the movie, or you.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
RegOzApr 5, 2012
I have read the book, of course, years before I watched the movie. Patrick Suskind's masterpiece can't compete with this movie. Yet, the movie is a masterpiece itself, it is not the faithful image of the book, it is different, it has its ownI have read the book, of course, years before I watched the movie. Patrick Suskind's masterpiece can't compete with this movie. Yet, the movie is a masterpiece itself, it is not the faithful image of the book, it is different, it has its own value. The performances were excellent, Great direction too! And the visuals....WOW!....the photography left me speechless! It is one of my favourite movies ever!...my favourite part? THE ENDING! IT IS JUST SPECTACULARLY FLAWLESS Do not miss it! WATCH this film for it is a hidden diamond!… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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10
MagicMar 12, 2014
Perfume is a seriously awesome experience. The characters, the story, the acting, the music, everything is nearly perfect. The surprise ending was really mind-blowing.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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10
roorSep 2, 2014
Suskind's masterpiece cannot compete with the movie, but the film itself is a beautiful piece of art. The photography is absolutely flawless, the music left me breathless and I was absolutely captivated by the story of the monstrous ParisianSuskind's masterpiece cannot compete with the movie, but the film itself is a beautiful piece of art. The photography is absolutely flawless, the music left me breathless and I was absolutely captivated by the story of the monstrous Parisian murderer. I absolutely recommend reading Suskind's book first and then watching the movie witch will give you an absolute exquisite aftertaste.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
8
vgmkyleJan 8, 2016
The person behind the direction of this film was clearly exaggerating from start to finish and savored every last annoying sniff. The story was actually quite engaging, and while it may have been a vacuous experience it was quite hard to lookThe person behind the direction of this film was clearly exaggerating from start to finish and savored every last annoying sniff. The story was actually quite engaging, and while it may have been a vacuous experience it was quite hard to look away indeed. No one can deny that the film was well shot.… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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8
BenWJan 2, 2007
The absurd ending stops the film from being a classic. The rest of the film is excellent; a very good script, excellent acting, and brilliant direction. Now if they only changed the final 15 minutes...
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
timJul 29, 2007
really really good. i liked it alot but was totally thrown off by the ending. i think if the ending was done a little better, i would have given it a 9 or 10, but it was too laughable. still worth it, one of the best horror/thriller movies ofreally really good. i liked it alot but was totally thrown off by the ending. i think if the ending was done a little better, i would have given it a 9 or 10, but it was too laughable. still worth it, one of the best horror/thriller movies of recent years.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
FrankHeirtrzlerSep 20, 2007
I
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MattB.Mar 10, 2009
Stunning. Ignore the ignorant criticisms....a faithful adaptation of the masterpiece book. It's very much a satire about greed and desire, rather than the mysoginism that some have incorrectly suggested.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
MaanJ.Jun 20, 2009
Great, creative and tasty movie. I recommend to be watched clearly with deep imaginary.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
scotthDec 23, 2006
Very well made. If one's read the book it is hard to imagine a good film rendition of the wonderful details on smells and smelling that Suskind conveys. Nevertheless, filmmaker and actors have done a good job at portraying the essence Very well made. If one's read the book it is hard to imagine a good film rendition of the wonderful details on smells and smelling that Suskind conveys. Nevertheless, filmmaker and actors have done a good job at portraying the essence of the story.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
RickyS.Dec 27, 2006
Great movie ! Visually brilliant with good actors and a well done job by Tom Tykwer ! One of the best movies in this year ! Enjoy it !
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JeffA.Jan 14, 2007
I thought it was visually mesmorizing, and transported the viewer into the world of a seemy and "smelly" world of a long ago France. I felt the main character was portrayed adeptly as this sadly inept and tortured soul, without any real I thought it was visually mesmorizing, and transported the viewer into the world of a seemy and "smelly" world of a long ago France. I felt the main character was portrayed adeptly as this sadly inept and tortured soul, without any real sense of the world or what it was to be alive. He survived through scent and it ironically lead to his demise. [**SPOILER**] The only out of place and seemingly ridiculous scene was the orgy that made a 10 an 8.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
MichaelE.Feb 19, 2007
Near-brilliant. A much finer adaptation of the book than I had ever expected. If the investigation sequence toward the end had been trimmed down (I think that part is ten pages in the book) and had Dustin Hoffman picked an accent and stuck Near-brilliant. A much finer adaptation of the book than I had ever expected. If the investigation sequence toward the end had been trimmed down (I think that part is ten pages in the book) and had Dustin Hoffman picked an accent and stuck with it, it might have been my favorite movie of the year. Not that there aren't other problems, but the film carries a sense of LIFE about it that no other film this year quite has. It's a fantasy that's real. I suspect that he and the other stars were cast because Tykwer liked their noses, but Whishaw is perfect as Grenouille -- he's supposed to be totally empty, a non-entity, someone who would never be noticed on the street, and he does all these things while still managing to hold the attention of the viewer. I suspect that in order to really get this film, one must have felt as though he or she was invisible at some point: Grenouille is an invisible man who manages to force himself to be noticed. And the conclusion is great; very appropriate. It may take some thinking to come to this conclusion, but at the end Grenouille, for a few shining minutes, Grenouille is a power for (almost) good.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JohnMar 1, 2007
I think Roger Ebert has the right idea about this film. It is haunting. Grenouille is seeking to immortalize the essence of a woman through their scent. As such, his quest is almost more important than the females he must snuff to reach his I think Roger Ebert has the right idea about this film. It is haunting. Grenouille is seeking to immortalize the essence of a woman through their scent. As such, his quest is almost more important than the females he must snuff to reach his goal. We almost admire the final scene in which he may now die because he has driven everyone into a sense of euphoria. I suppose this is where the tale bridges from somewhat real into the stuff of urban legends. However weird the ending, his quest is both evil and purely idealistic. His victims are captured forever in his tiny bottle.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
RomanJ.Mar 2, 2007
First "different" film I've seen in years. Refreshingly off beat, Beautifully filmed.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
KarimaA.May 20, 2007
Fascinating movie both on the dramatic and technical levels.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
NancyH.Sep 4, 2007
Truly disturbing in a dark way--like road kill, can't take your eyes off the movie. Beautifully shot, and the story has you screaming in parts. What is most frightening is that the main character is devoid of any feeling--he looks at Truly disturbing in a dark way--like road kill, can't take your eyes off the movie. Beautifully shot, and the story has you screaming in parts. What is most frightening is that the main character is devoid of any feeling--he looks at humans as experiments to feed his obsession. It's one of those movies that has you thinking about it for a few days.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
TomG.Jan 10, 2008
I just saw this movie on DVD and It was excellent. I get bored of movies easily because so many are formulaic and predictable. This movie was not. It does demand from the viewer an open mind and a capacious imagination in order to understand I just saw this movie on DVD and It was excellent. I get bored of movies easily because so many are formulaic and predictable. This movie was not. It does demand from the viewer an open mind and a capacious imagination in order to understand and appreciate the movies' trajectory. The ending was brilliant. It required a particularly imaginative understanding of what the power of scent is capable of doing, but it is this that made the bacchanalian love fest credible and the quest transcendent. A unique film that you will either love or hate.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
latakiauOct 29, 2008
First read the book, then watch the movie. You'll realize how difficult is to make a movie out of this ineffable story. I highly recommend both the book and the movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JohnM.Jan 17, 2009
Easily in the top five best movies I've seen, and probably my new favorite movie. Extremely dark, creative, and captivating.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
Jean-PaulP.Dec 24, 2006
Visually gorgeous, brilliant direction.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
ChrisC.Dec 29, 2006
Unique. Great style. Would have liked to see the character's remorse with each killing, but unable to stop himself because of his "artistic" vision (or scent). Too much of an idiot savant, and not enough of a complicated human being.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
AlfonsoDAug 14, 2007
Ben Whishaw plays the main character Jean-Baptiste with such amazing realism that I was truly captivated with his story. The story was an amusing one from start to finish. It did fail to provide me the ending I felt it deserved. I did feel Ben Whishaw plays the main character Jean-Baptiste with such amazing realism that I was truly captivated with his story. The story was an amusing one from start to finish. It did fail to provide me the ending I felt it deserved. I did feel good enough about it to recommend it to my friends. I do feel that Ben Whishaw could one day be nominated for an Oscar if he keeps aligning himself in the right rolls.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
NaniFayeP.Aug 17, 2007
First really original plot I have seen in a long time. The trailers made it look like a horror/thriller movie, but I thought it was neither. It was a beautiful portrait of a lost human. He was trying to bottle love, because he had none in First really original plot I have seen in a long time. The trailers made it look like a horror/thriller movie, but I thought it was neither. It was a beautiful portrait of a lost human. He was trying to bottle love, because he had none in himself. Sometimes hated like a devil, sometimes worshiped as a god, but empty inside. It was not offensive to my eyes or my tastes, because the murders were done in such a way that the imagery was beautiful, not horrific. There was nothing frightening or scary about his actions, because they were done for what he saw as a higher cause. I mean, come on, we kill innocent people in Iraq so we can have their oil - tell me if that's not horrific.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
HowardR.Sep 21, 2007
I thought the movie was really good! I can't believe some people are giving this 2s or 3s. It got a little boring in a couple parts, but as a whole, the film was very interesting and kept you watching. Yes, the subject matter is a I thought the movie was really good! I can't believe some people are giving this 2s or 3s. It got a little boring in a couple parts, but as a whole, the film was very interesting and kept you watching. Yes, the subject matter is a little disturbing, and the ending a little crazy, but just look at it like a fictional story, and not something thats supposed to be perfectly realistic.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
DialloGrantJul 31, 2009
Perfume is a visually lavish dark fairy tale about an obsessive man seeking beauty and recognition in a morally void society. The protagonist is born with a super-human sense of smell, a will to live, and nothing more. Born and bred in aPerfume is a visually lavish dark fairy tale about an obsessive man seeking beauty and recognition in a morally void society. The protagonist is born with a super-human sense of smell, a will to live, and nothing more. Born and bred in a world where life is treated as a distant and vulgar second to money, we see the development of a man who relates to beauty only as possession, one more smell to be collected and preserved. Finding the women who possess these scents to be obstacles to his obsession, he murders them, destroying them in the process of creating the most powerfully exquisite scent the world has ever known. It is not until the end of the film when he finally glimpses the dimension of beauty that issues from contact, from sharing--in a word, love--that he is able to feel any form of remorse. Until then his quest to objectify and possess beauty and to force upon the world the value of his existence is mirrored by the society around him, from the brutal exploitation of the Parisian slums to the trophies and conceits of the nobility. Perfume is a sensual marvel of a movie that explores morality and the profane in a lyrical way.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
RalfbergsMar 5, 2017
Really good movie, good acting, cinematography and an interesting story. I haven't read the book so can't compare, but the movie itself was really good.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
CriviewerMay 15, 2016
Just mind-blowing! Although there are some professional points to be made here and there (as one can read on the critic reviews), the movie shines because it makes unexpectedly deep (mind-blowing) connections. It talks about ideals (the man'sJust mind-blowing! Although there are some professional points to be made here and there (as one can read on the critic reviews), the movie shines because it makes unexpectedly deep (mind-blowing) connections. It talks about ideals (the man's search for absolute in his art, and the inevitable sacrifices). For that alone it stands as a great movie! (even more of an achievement when you think about the endless amount of mainstream mediocre holywood junk that's being produced out there).… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
josh95Apr 21, 2017
I am not one to write reviews of anything, but reading the negative reviews on this site has prompted be to write something. This film is beautiful, I think the people leaving these absurd reviews have completely missed the entire point ofI am not one to write reviews of anything, but reading the negative reviews on this site has prompted be to write something. This film is beautiful, I think the people leaving these absurd reviews have completely missed the entire point of the film. The film so perfectly encapsulates the desires of young men, in an intriguing and absolutely surreal way. The ending is not absurd at all, it is a metaphor to make one question their own desires. My favorite aspect of this film by far is the music, the music during the most poignant scenes is simply art.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
nolanscameraSep 11, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Film is about an orphan who has got an above average nose. After a while Jean-Baptiste Grenouille get out of slavery, than he started to work with one of the masters of perfume. He has a passion, protect smells, he cant do it besie his master so he traveled to distant lands.
Movie's space and colors remind me Agora -I recommend, Agora is good movie too-
First of all, watching Perfume is very wonderful and different. But it is not that perfect.
Perfume feels like art , actually movie feels like women and death art. According to me there are mistakes in the scenario.
in the execution of baptiste, when they received the smell, they started to say that he was innocent, okay it could be.
But there was a priest and when he received perfume, he shouted '' he is an angel.
That perfume includes women, womens can symbolize sex, love, innocent, happiness
perfume includes smell of an whore, than papa shouts '' he is an angel
maybe perfume includes smell of a baby -it could be very reactionary-, the words of the papa could be meaningful.
other than this, i have no question about scenario.
the music in the movie is not good enough, camera angles are usual -boring- in the execution scene, every people started undress and sex, it was the most aesthetic scene i have ever seen.
when everyone was making love, he saw the fruits. He remembered the woman that he couldn't preserve. he had lived too long for a non-spiritual, he went his home, his dump than left himself to death.
Everyone should watch that movie, but it is not that extraordinary.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
Waldemar76Jan 2, 2021
Пожалуй, лучший фильм, что я видел. Идеально передает дух Франции того времени (во всех смыслах). Экранизация лучше книги.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
geewahJan 21, 2021
An arty and ambitious attempt to adapt Patrick Suskind's best-selling novel and on the whole it's reasonably well done.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
aniket49Jan 3, 2021
Amazing movie must watch in life . A great representation of old roman ethics
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
ExceladeogunApr 26, 2023
Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer

Stands as one of the best movies I've ever seen. Perfume is a visual spectacle, a feast that gives till the final scene is shown. The plot moves fast, leaving no room for dull moments. The themes PerfumePerfume: The Story Of A Murderer

Stands as one of the best movies I've ever seen. Perfume is a visual spectacle, a feast that gives till the final scene is shown.

The plot moves fast, leaving no room for dull moments. The themes Perfume deal with are dark and askew, and it doesn't shy away, getting into the nitty-gritty it needs to tell it.

From the film's title, it's obvious that the subject matter will be sinister, but Perfume doesn't have a sympathetic lead or one deserving of pity, Grenouille is repulsive and gloomy. The cinematography and direction is blatant, aggressive and bold. The style and visuals are picturesque, you can literally smell what's being shown, that's how intimate Perfume is.

The cast is phenomenal, especially the lead, Ben Whishaw delivering a revelatory standout performance.

I believe Perfume is a movie that everyone should watch at least once in their lifetime.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
LeviHLTZJun 2, 2023
My favorite movie of all time!!! It's a dark masterpiece that I believe anyone has to watch it once in their lifetime!!
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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