Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Nadia Litz, Daniel MacIvor, Molly Parker, Gabrielle Rose, Philippe Volter, Pascale Bussières
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Producers: Camelia Frieberg, Jeremy Podeswa
Screenplay: Jeremy Podeswa
Cinematography: Gregory Middleton
Music: Alexina Louie, Alex Pauk
U.S. Distributor: Fine Line Features
Since there has already been a Sixth Sense, it's probably fair to give the other five senses their due. The latest feature from 37-year old Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa does that by examining the ties between the senses and human intimacy. Like two other, recent features, Magnolia and Wonderland, The Five Senses uses an ensemble cast and everyday circumstances to convey its message. Ultimately, it has a similar feel to Paul Thomas Anderson's three-hour opus, but the rhythms are not as certain and, in part because of the shorter running length, the characters aren't as fully developed.
The central conceit embraced by The Five Senses is that each of the primary characters represents a sense. Cake baker Rona (Mary-Louise Parker) is taste; sulky, voyeuristic teenager Rachel (Nadia Litz) is sight; Richard (Philippe Volter), an eye doctor losing the use of his ears, is hearing; cleaning man Robert (Daniel MacIvor), who has an odd habit of sniffing people's odors, is smell; and masseuse Ruth (Gabrielle Rose) is touch. The central connecting event is the disappearance of a three year-old child while in Rachel's care. The mother, Anna (Molly Parker), makes a public plea for help and the case becomes the central focus of the Toronto news scene.
Each of the characters has his or her own story. Rona is involved with an Italian boyfriend with whom she can't communicate (he speaks Italian; she speaks English). She suspects that he may be scamming her to gain Canadian residency. Her bisexual best friend, Robert, is looking up old boyfriends and girlfriends to see whether any of those relationships can be resurrected. Richard silently broods about his loss of hearing and makes up a list of sounds he wants to experience one last time before the chance is gone forever. He desperately misses his estranged wife and daughter, and seeks solace from a prostitute who has a deaf child. Ruth feels intense guilt for the young girl's disappearance because Rachel is her daughter. And Rachel dissociates herself from the entire incident, seeking comfort in the company of a boy her age who is also one of society's outcasts.
From start to finish, the characters in The Five Senses radiate a strong, almost overpowering sense of loneliness. It is their constant companion, and the lesson that each must learn (and not everyone does) is that genuine intimacy requires the use of all five senses, not just one or two. Admittedly, the idea underlying the movie sounds pretentious, but the execution is not. Podeswa has crafted a well modulated film that neither descends into overt melodrama nor becomes overly infatuated with its inherent symbolism.
Everything, from the way the script is constructed to the layout of each shot, is used to emphasize the cocoon of isolation the enshrouds every character. Everyone is looking for something. Those who can define it, like Robert, are no closer to attaining that those who are groping in the dark, wrestling with silent demons. A mother and daughter, both sharing a loss, have become strangers. Neighbors fail to recognize one another. Friends wonder whether their easy camaraderie has become a crutch to replace intimacy in relationships with others. To one degree or another, these are problems we are all familiar with. They are part and parcel of living in a society where interpersonal interaction is increasingly becoming a lost art. Rona's relationship with her Italian boyfriend is symbolic of this malaise of the soul - they have sex and eat, but, because of the language gap, they cannot engage in a meaningful conversation.
Strong acting is one of The Five Senses' hallmarks, with Mary-Louise Parker (Fried Green Tomatoes) heading the list. Parker's approach to the role is sure-handed; the actress understands what makes Rona tick and conveys it to the audience with a dollop of self-deprecating humor that keeps the character from becoming a lugubrious trial for viewers. Equally adept are Daniel MacIvor as Robert, whose initial sprightly spirit erodes as the film wears on; Nadia Litz as 16-year old Rachel, who internalizes the difficulties of adolescence; and Philippe Volter as the brooding Richard. And, although Gabrielle Rose represents the least compelling character, she nevertheless offers a solid portrayal. Supporting roles are filled by the suddenly ubiquitous Molly Parker (who has one of the leads in Wonderland) and Pascale Bussières (the mother in Set Me Free) as Richard's prostitute.
Underlying The Five Senses is a sharp understanding of the natures of grief, loneliness, and communication. As the film progresses, the importance of the individual senses is downplayed. The movie is not so much about the five senses as it is about how we process the information they provide. And the manner in which Podeswa has chosen to work these themes into his film allows for a satisfying movie-going experience.
© 2000 James Berardinelli