Perfect Sense
Directed by David Mackenzie
- drama
- science fiction
- romance
The story
In Glasgow, Scotland, while a mysterious pandemic begins to spread around the world, Susan, a brilliant epidemiologist, falls in love with Michael, a skillful cook.
What it’s like
Cool, muted Glasgow greys and rain-soaked streets give way to warm, close-framed kitchens where food is lovingly plated, and the warmth becomes a kind of refuge as the film goes on. Mackenzie stays tight on faces and hands, with lingering handheld intimacy in the domestic scenes and wider, colder compositions for the city. Max Richter's sparse strings and piano provide the score, often dropping out entirely so the room tone and clatter of a busy kitchen carry the mood. The vibe is melancholy and tender, with a quiet dread running underneath, the feeling of late autumn light and a long winter. It suits a rainy weekend, a slow evening alone, or anyone who wants a romance that grows against a slowly unfolding catastrophe. Pacing is unhurried and contemplative, and the emotional arc follows two people learning to find meaning in the senses they still have. Intensity is moderate: there are street riots and some sudden, brief violence, a few frank sex scenes, and scenes of raw grief and distress, but no gore. It is for viewers who want a thoughtful, sensory drama about intimacy and loss.
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