This week’s Mubi Monday review comes to us courtesy of a peculiar French and Belgian film titled The Green Perfume (2022). Let’s get right to it, shall we?
Title: The Green Perfume (Le Parfum vert)
Director: Nicolas Pariser
Released: May 26, 2022 (France)
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
Available to stream on: Mubi
Martin Rémi (Vincent Lacoste) is a Parisian theater actor who just had a fellow actor die in his arms on stage. No, it wasn’t a part of the play they were performing that night. In fact, the actor was poisoned and murdered. His last words were “I’ve been murdered” followed by “Green perfume”. Not only does Martin not have the slightest clue as to what “Green perfume” could possibly mean, he also finds himself as the key person of interest for the murder.
Thanks to some unexpected luck, Martin happens to run into a comic writer by the name of Claire Mayer (Sandrine Kiberlain). Claire, thanks to her boredom and restlessness, decides she’s the one who will help Martin get to the bottom of things. She knows nothing about him and has literally just met him, however, she is ready to help poor Martin Rémi do what the authorities can’t, clear his name.
Although, there is still one big question that Martin and Claire need to answer…
Who and/or what is “Green perfume”?
This is one that had been on a watchlist for me for a couple of months. I was excited to see it drop on Mubi just the other day.
The first twenty to thirty minutes of this movie sets up what you expect to be a fun whodunnit. Unfortunately, after the first act, the wheels fall off and we’re on the fast-track to a jumbled mess.
I enjoyed the chemistry between both Vincent and Sandrine as Martin and Claire. Whether it was the playful banter between them, the kindling fueling the fire of their relationship, or simply watching the two of them play detective, it all worked. Despite their ability to make the best of what they’re given, the script doesn’t do them any favors.
Even if we were to overlook the numerous chance encounters that attempt to hold the story together, it doesn’t feel like writer and director Nicolas Pariser knew what kind of movie he was setting out to make. Is it a murder mystery? Maybe he was shooting for a whodunnit similar to that of Agatha Christie? How about a good old fashioned crime caper? And what is the significance of “Green perfume”? Well, somehow The Green Perfume (2022) winds up answering all of those questions and none of those questions at the same time.
Unfortunately, what we wound up with was far more frustrating than it was fun.
Well, there you have my thoughts. But now I want to hear yours.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, tell me what you thought of The Green Perfume (2022) in the comments below or by reaching out to me on social media!
If you don’t have Mubi, don’t sweat it! Here is a month for free on me.
As always, you can keep track of everything else I’ve been watching over on my Letterboxd profile.