Review: Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer

If anyone else has seen this, I want your views!!!!

Review: Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer (Tom Tykwer, 2006, GER/FRA/ESP).

The most expensive European production ever embarked upon, a film which it was rumoured (but untrue) that even Stanley Kubrick could not get a handle on, a book where the sense of smell is the most important aspect of the plot. Upon release, very mixed reviews and barely any award buzz. My opinion....
Jean-Baptise Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) is born in rather extreme circumstances and would surely have been stillborn if it were not for the intense smells of the fishmarket he is born in. His sense of smell comes to define the character he will become in later life. He discovers that his purpose in life is to create the perfect scent. With the help of master perfumer Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), he acquires the skills to create the scent. But how to preserve it, is a different question entirely.
If you are to come across a more visually striking film this year, I would be amazed. Indeed, the visuals are the standout of this film. This looks like an entirely European film, reminding me in particular of the work of Jean-Pierre Jenuet with Delicatessen and City of Lost Children. It is beautiful but there is constantly a hint of darkness underneath. Sometimes this darkness comes to the fore, the smells Jean-Baptise first smells, the body of the first murdered woman which is constantly flashed back too; these images are obviously disturbing. Most of the time, it is kept to a bubbling undercurrent, like a smell which is lingering in the air which sometimes strikes to remind you of something you remember which you very much disagree with.
With all the sumptous beauty of the visuals, it is almost inevitable that something is to be lost. While I would argue that the narrative is stronger than many ithger cirtics have said, it is undeniably affected by the care taken with the visuals. Being presented with Jean-Baptiste as aoour anti-hero means that we can never truly feel for the "hero" of the piece. Although his lifelong journey is something we can latch on to, the actions he takes through the film mean that it is difficult to sympathise with him. In this aspect, it is similar to Notes On A Scandal, characters are presented who we are normally meant to identify with but in these cases, we just can't. When we are presented with other characters we can latch on to, Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman's specifically, they are not given enough time for development for us to understand them. The film does the best of what it can based on the source material. There is no getting away from the fact that the developments at the end will turn a lot of people off (My friend Helly was completely lost on the film from this point), but I was not. If you invest yourself in this world, I think you will go with what happens. Odd to be sure, but in the world the visuals have created in the previous two hours, it almost makes sense.
For a film lacking in character development, the perfomances are uniformally excellent. Ben Whishaw (who are only recgonised as Pingu from the Chris Morris/Charlie Brooker series Nathan Barley) is a revelation as Jean-Baptiste. His character is abhorrent and yet endlessly comelling. The sense of sheer force of will which goes with his character is something to behold and I am sorely disappointed that he got no serious awards buzz. Dustin Hoffman is distracting but still amusing in his small role. In any other film, he would feel out of place in this role, but Hoffman seems to understand completely what is required of him in the role and he really does pull it off. His fate in particular gives one of the few genuine laughs of the film. Alan Rickman also does well in a somewhat one-note role. John Hurt is wonderfully placed as the narrator and his sense of warmth and charm really moves the story along well.
Much of this review has been negative. A lot of people will not enjoy this film, there were walkouts in the cinema we were at. And yet, I loved it. The visuals are quite incredible and Ben Whishaw's perfomance alone makes this worth watching. I would very much recommend this, but I know some of you will hate it.

Opinions please!!