6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success.
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Agyness Deyn, Gayle RankinDrama | 100% |
Music | 16% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Writer/director Alex Ross Perry specializes in off-beat character examinations, and he’s done depressive downfall with actress Elisabeth Moss before, in 2015’s “Queen of Earth.” Their collaboration was powerful then and remains vibrantly poisonous in “Her Smell,” with Perry taking his fixation with mental illness to the alternative rock realm, dialing back the clock to the mid-1990s to examine the complete and utter erosion of a music star. Perry doesn’t pull punches here, creating a deep sea dive into madness, with Moss going for broke in a turn that runs exclusively on pain and shame. “Her Smell” demands an audience with the ability to remain in the vortex of a nervous breakdown for 135 minutes, and those with the proper preparation are rewarded with a raw, often thrilling display of behavioral excess.
The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with extreme lighting and restless camera work. Cinematographic interests are preserved, and periodic stillness permits appreciation for detail, which explores natural faces, showcasing blemishes and fatigue. Costuming is textured, going from showy stage wear to soiled cotton shirts. Backstage decoration is open for study, along with more peaceful domestic interiors in the midsection of the movie. Colors hit extremes, but not uncomfortably so, with Perry's Heaven and Hell scheme intact, delivering blazing reds. Concert lighting is more diverse, along with clothing choices. Skintones are precise. Delineation is communicative. Source has some speckling, and mild posturization is detected.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix does a fantastic job keeping the listener inside various environments. Surrounds are incredibly active, capturing the far off presence of restless crowds while backstage drama unfolds, and channel separation is utilized to identify instrument placement in recording studios. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, exploring the manic energy of the performances, securing mumbling as well. Music is clear with defined instrumentation, defining percussive snap and guitar-driven power. Atmospherics are always enveloping. Low-end isn't taxed for an actor-driven effort, but beats offer thump.
The walls close in during "Her Smell," but the feature is never out of Perry's control, as his screenplay makes specific points about offenses and amends, tracking the arc of forgiveness and rehabilitation, ultimately adding temptation to Becky's list of problems. There's peace to the be found (Moss has a fine moment as Becky sings Bryan Adams's "Heaven" to Tama at a piano), but the movie is mostly a tornado of complications and confrontations, performed by a capable cast who eschew glamour to showcase their fatigue, committing to Perry's vision for never-ending anxiety. It's a taxing sit, but "Her Smell" preserves a human side to the impenetrable darkness, with the helmer finding a fresh way to examine rock star implosion and the collateral damage it leaves behind.
2015
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