Reviewed by Jordan Barr, Viewed at AFI Film Festival 2018<\/p>\n
Her Smell, directed by Alex Ross Perry, is an absolute masterpiece and one of the most memorable films that I\u2019ve seen in 2018.\u00a0 <\/span>Although similar in concept to A Star is Born, this isn\u2019t a movie you\u2019d want to take your family to – its ugly and uncomfortable yet \u00a0raw. Her Smell revolves around the life of Becky Something, a washed up lead singer in the decline of her career. She is the human embodiment of a car accident – horrific and frightening, yet you can\u2019t seem to take your eyes off of her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Elizabeth Moss is absolutely brilliant as Becky, she dove headfirst into this role\u2019s madness and truly became Becky. The punk rock band Something She is both held together and torn apart by Becky. Her flippant yet iconic stage persona has drowned every ounce of humanity in her and she constantly abuses the people who take care of her. Viewers are left questioning whether it\u2019s drug use, mental illness or if she’s truly a horrible person. We see glimpses of the person she used to be through her bandmates and her mother\u2019s eyes and this hope carries viewers through her painfully slow downfall. Marielle, played by Agyness Deyn, desperately tries to hold everything together for far longer than understandable and she perfectly exemplifies the emotional toll Becky inflicts on those around her. She\u2019s also the perfect punk rocker and this film\u00a0<\/span>does a great job at portraying the punk rock scene.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The experimental cinematography and pacing isn\u2019t for everyone. Scenes seem to drag on for an uncomfortable amount of time yet this is exactly what makes the film so powerful. Her Smell is not supposed to be enjoyable to watch, its an immersive experience. Viewers are thrown into Becky\u2019s world and taken along on an emotional rollercoaster. The hypnotic sound effects make this film even more intense, it\u2019s almost as if you get inside of Becky\u2019s head and begin to feel a little bit insane yourself. I left this film feeling emotionally exhausted and I loved it. Only a truly great film can leave an impact like Her Smell did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n