Her Smell is a 2018 American drama film written, co-produced and directed by Alex Ross Perry. It stars Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Agyness Deyn, Gayle Rankin, Ashley Benson, Dylan Gelula, Virginia Madsen and Amber Heard and follows Moss as fictional rock star Becky Something, whose band experiences brief fame but is broken up by her self-destructive behavior. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2018, and had its general release on April 12, 2019, by Gunpowder & Sky [Wikidata]. The film has received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
The film is told with five distinct scenes punctuated with some home movie footage from early in the band’s career when they were successful—appearing on magazine covers, attending photo shoots, and receiving gold records.
In the first scene, punk rock group Something She wraps up a show and lead vocalist Becky Something (Elisabeth Moss) goes backstage to attend to a brief ceremony with her personal shaman. Her mood swings violently from happy to aggressive as her bandmates, ex-husband, manager, and a former musical collaborator all try to steer her toward positive choices: recording their next album, playing future shows, and finding stability for her child. The scene ends as she turns a corner with her infant in her hands and falls over inebriated, puking on herself.
In the second vignette, Something She is in the studio several months later, aimlessly trying to record the band’s next album. Drummer Ali van der Wolff (Gayle Rankin) becomes frustrated and quits, followed by bassist Marielle Hell (Agyness Deyn), leaving their manager Howard Goodman (Eric Stoltz) distraught as he tries to clear the space for his new band Akergirls to record. Becky refuses to leave and butts in on their session.
The third scene is set after Akergirls have become famous and Becky is opening their show, with Ali back to support her. She shows up two hours late with a film crew in tow, berating ex-husband Danny (Dan Stevens) and her mother Ania (Virginia Madsen), who are the last persons in her life still willing to put up with her selfishness. When Ania gives her some papers from her estranged father, Becky becomes violently upset and hurls verbal abuse at her mother and assaults Ali before rushing onstage and collapsing in another stupor.
Several years later, Becky is sober and her daughter Tama (Daisy Pugh-Weiss), now a young girl, is coming to visit. As Dan drops her off, he gives his ex some paperwork for some of the many lawsuits facing Becky and tells her that Mari has also come with them. Becky has brief tender moments with all three, but her thinking appears disordered: she believes that leaving her house will kill her and that her love for her daughter will destroy her; she also recounts a dream from a past life that she thinks justifies her cruelty and selfishness toward her ex.
In the final piece, 11 years have passed since Howard first signed Something She and four years since they have performed together, but they have reunited to perform a single song at a showcase event that features all of Howard’s popular musical acts. Becky appears nervous and has to rely on all of the musicians performing a seance with her before she can gather her courage to go onstage. She briefly walks away after cryptically thanking all of them for staying with her until the end. Several of her loved ones become concerned, but they find her ready to take the stage and she performs one song with her bandmates and fellow musicians all collaborating. It is successful and they step backstage where Howard tells her the crowd wants more and asks if she has another one in her. Becky says that she is done, embracing Tama and smelling her hair.
Cast
Elisabeth Moss as Becky Something (née Rebecca Adamcyzk), lead singer of Something She
Amber Heard as Zelda E. Zekiel, a musician who was a mentor of Something whom she later spited
Cara Delevingne as Crassie Cassie, a member of Akergirls
Dan Stevens as Danny Something, Becky’s ex-husband
Agyness Deyn as Marielle Hell, bassist for Something She
Gayle Rankin as Ali van der Wolff, drummer for Something She
Ashley Benson as Roxie Rotten, a member of Akergirls
Eric Stoltz as Howard Goodman, manager for all of the musicians
Virginia Madsen as Ania Adamcyzk, Becky’s mother
Dylan Gelula as Dottie O.Z., a member of Akergirls
Eka Darville as Ya-ema, Becky’s shaman and later convict
Lindsay Burdge as Lauren, Mari’s love interest
Keith Poulson as Roy, Ali’s husband
Alexis Krauss as Vivvy, a musician backstage at the reunion show
Craig Butta as Greg, a studio engineer
Hannah Gross as Tiffany, Dan’s second wife
Daisy Pugh-Weiss as Tama, Becky and Dan’s daughter
Reviews
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