Perfect Sense

UK Release: 7th October 2011

Watched on Recorded TV: Wednesday 23rd January 2013

Rating: 15

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Runtime: 1hr 32mins

IMDb Plot Synopsis: An odd epidemic appears across the globe: people suddenly lose one of their senses. At first, it's an outbreak of loss of smell. It's often presaged by a destructive temper tantrum. In this mix are a scientist and a chef - she's Susan, one of a team trying to understand the epidemic; he's Michael, charming and engaging. Susan and Michael begin a relationship in the middle of increasing chaos, as the loss of other senses plagues more people and as civil authorities try to maintain order. Susan's voice-over reflections provide insight. Is love possible in such a changed world? Can anything make perfect sense?

My Review: Even now, two months later, this film is haunting me. It poses so many questions and the thought of losing all your senses (smell, taste, touch, sight and sound), yet still living trapped in your body with no-one to help as every human is the same is simply terrifying. I can’t think of many worse things ultimately - it is a fate worse than death.

So this film really is one the of the most scariest things I’ve seen in a while, despite only really being a science-fiction drama. I think mostly because it hits so close to home as it’s not outside the realms of possibility. And that’s what good science-fiction does - poses difficult questions about humanity and the world, exploring possible futuristic scenarios. 

Yet it wouldn’t really so dreadfully emotional without the leads Eva Green and Ewan McGregor. Eva Green is so good in these cruel emotional dramas (look out for my review of Clone, with similar science-fiction vibes, coming soon). The two of them cling on to each other as the world drastically changes, sense by sense, and the ending is - to me - the most heartbreaking of all. 

I can’t get the image out of mind...

Score: 8/10