Plot: What’s it about?
This film looks at all five of the human senses by looking into the lives of some connected people, each of whom focuses on one of their senses. This might sound unusual, but as you watch, you will see how it all fits together and sort of makes sense. As the nature of the film doesn’t allow for much in terms of synopsis, I will provide a broad overview and allow you to explore the rest on your own. The senses are represented by a massage therapist (touch), a voyeuristic young man (sight), a cake maker with no sense of flavor (taste), a house cleaner with enhanced olfactory reception (smell), and an older man who wants to listen more than anything (hearing). As the film unfolds, we see more into the roles the senses play in their lives, as well as the roles they play in each other’s lives.
I admit that the film’s premise sounds interesting, but to me, The Five Senses falls a few miles short of where it could have been. This film seems more like a film to renew your interest in life, notice the little things, and perhaps add some romance to your life, but only if you’re a very shallow person. The messages are so simple and superficial, that you have to struggle to keep them from being shoved down your throat. Now the film is very well done and looks impressive, but I was let down in the end by the storyline and performances. I will say that inspirational/romantic/erotic dramas aren’t my area of interest though, so perhaps those more taken by this type of film will find more than I did. I was looking forward to how each sense was explored and such, but it ended up being very oversimplified and predictable, a real disappointment. I wanted more layers to be revealed in each sense, but in the end, this turns out to be a shallow film that sparkles on the surface. The film has some bright moments, but I think a rental will suffice in most cases, unless you’re a real fan of the flick.
As far as the cast here goes, I am not too up to date on most of them, although a few names seem to ring a bell. I think this film needed some very powerful performances, but even with a decent cast, the material never allows for much depth. We’re supposed to see such complex notions and ideas within these characters, but it never comes to fruition. As such, even though some of the cast members seem in fine form, their performances are toned down due to the lack of depth within the material. Some of the folks seen here include Pascale Bussieres (Twilight Of The Ice Nymphs, Girls Can’t Swim), Nadia Litz (Teen Sorcery, The Mighty), Brendan Fletcher (Air Bud, Trixie), Marco Leonardi (Like Water For Chocolate, The Whores), Molly Parker (Waking The Dead, Last of the Dogmen), Richard Clarkin (The Thin Blue Lie), and Mary-Louise Parker (The Client, Let The Devil Wear Black). This film was written and directed by Jeremy Podeswa, who also helmed such movies as Diamond Time, Wild Geese, Eclipse, and Caveman Rainbow.
Video: How does it look?
The Five Senses is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame version also included on this dual layered disc. This is a very visual film and as usual, New Line has delivered the goods with a terrific presentation. The colors range from natural to very bright, but always seem correct and without real flaw, even flesh tones come off as normal here. No errors with the contrast either, a real smooth level of shadow depth and plenty of visible detail. In the end, another more than solid transfer from New Line, but then again, we already knew it would be.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc includes a 2.0 surround track, which seems to cover the bases well enough. The musical soundtrack adds some punch here and there, but on the whole, the film only calls for a conservative audio presence. Even in the hearing segment of the film, I wasn’t too impressed with the audio levels. But, since the mix sounds natural and no real issues emerge, I won’t complain in the least. The dialogue seems to the focus in terms of audio here and it sounds great, no volume problems at all to report. The disc also houses a 2.0 surround track in French, as well as subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some DVD ROM content, some talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
