Perfect Sense
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Perfect Sense, formerly known as The Last Word, is a 2011 drama film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Kim Fupz Aakeson, starring Eva Green and Ewan McGregor.
Synopsis
An epidemic begins to spread throughout the globe, causing humankind to lose their sensory perceptions one by one. The story focuses on two people- Susan, one of a team of epidemiologists who are trying to find the causes of the disease and Michael, a chef who works at a busy restaurant located next to Susan's flat. The two meet and get to know each other as the epidemic progresses, a relationship which soon turns to love.
Humans begin to lose their senses one at a time. Each loss is preceded by an outburst of an intense feeling or urge. First, people begin suffering uncontrollable bouts of crying and this is soon followed by the loss of their sense of smell. An outbreak of irrational panic & anxiety, closely followed by a bout of frenzied gluttony, precedes the loss of the sense of taste. The film depicts people trying to adapt to each loss and trying to carry on living as best they can, re-discovering their remaining senses as they do so. Michael and his co-workers do their best to cook food for people who cannot smell nor taste.
The loss of hearing comes next and is accompanied by an outbreak of extreme anger and rage. Michael experiences it first and is verbally abusive at Susan who flees in fear, losing her own hearing shortly afterwards. Despite her knowledge that it was the disease that caused the outburst, Susan cannot face Michael again. People struggle to adjust and to go on living. One day, every person on Earth suddenly experiences an feeling of joyful euphoria. Susan suddenly realizes she both forgives and still loves Michael and rushes to his home. The two find each other and embrace just as they, and the rest of the world, become blind.
Cast
- Ewan McGregor as Michael
- Eva Green as Susan
- Connie Nielsen as Jenny, Susan's sister
- Stephen Dillane as Stephen, Susan's boss
- Ewen Bremner as James, Michael's workmate
- Denis Lawson as Michael's boss
- Alastair Mackenzie as Susan's workmate
- Kathryn Engels as Narrator
Original soundtrack: Max Richter
See also
