Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Name: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Genre: Crime, Fantasy, Drama
Released: 2006-09-13
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Dustin Hoffman, John Hurt

2006 | 147 min | Crime, Fantasy, Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, though it had middling reviews (59% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for crime-drama fans and fantasy fans. If you loved Cape Fear or Nightmare Alley, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Dark and gritty.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 27 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: expect violence.
Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of 18th century Paris, develops a superior olfactory sense, which he uses to create the world's finest perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
59% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesStrong
7.4 out of 10
AwardsBelow par
2 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerSolid
$135 million worldwide on a $64 million budget; spent 1 week in Netflix's global Top 10; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 446K people sought it out in the past year