Search - The Five Senses on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Language, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 01/23/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: New Line Home Video Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Comedy Drama, Ensemble Film

Five characters serve as metaphors for the five senses in this drama about human relationships from Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Podeswa. Ruth (Gabrielle Rose) works as a massage therapist; one day while giving a rubdown to Anna (Molly Parker), Ruth's teenage daughter Rachel (Nadia Litz) takes Anna's toddler daughter for a stroll in the park. However, Rachel loses track of the child and she's soon lost. While searching for her, Rachel meets Rupert (Brendan Fletcher), a voyeur who teaches her about the pleasures of observing others. Meanwhile, Robert (Daniel MacIvor) is a professional house cleaner with an unusually keen sense of smell. Convinced he can smell love, he starts to set up meetings with all of his former lovers to see if he can sniff out any feelings for him -- and, if not, find out why they stopped caring for him. Robert's friend Rona (Mary-Louise Parker) works as a baker but has no sense of taste, a severe occupational hazard. She also has romantic problems, thanks to the arrival of Roberto (Marco Leonardi), a man she met on a recent vacation in Italy. Finally, Richard (Philippe Volter) is an eye doctor who is losing his hearing. While this situation has left him horribly depressed, he meets a woman who helps him feel better about life. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Mary-Louise Parker - Rona
Philippe Volter - Richard
Gabrielle Rose - Ruth
Daniel MacIvor - Robert
Nadia Litz - Rachel

New Line is renowned for the pristine transfers on its DVD releases, and =The Five Senses is no exception. It contains a high level of sharpness and clarity that enhances the images on the screen. The images remain fairly realistic and lack extravagance, but they still shine due to an excellent widescreen anamorphic transfer. This disc also has the option of choosing a pan-and-scan version of the film.
This film is driven mostly by dialogue, but it does contain a pleasant score and some impressive choir music, which makes this feeble 2.0-channel Dolby Surround mix frustrating and disheartening. While the dialogue is easy to understand, and the sounds are sharp, no power exists in this sound mix. It's based mostly in the center and does not flow very well between the left and right speakers.
=The Five Senses contains a nice selection of DVD-ROM features, including access to the original web site and links to their web store. The movie's site includes production notes, detailed information on the filmmakers and staff, and interesting sections on each story and its relation to the particular sense. Unfortunately, only PC owners have the luxury of accessing this information, and everyone else is left with only a few minor extras on the disc.
The theatrical trailer features an impressive transfer, but it focuses too much on Mary Louise-Parker, the most prominent actress to American audiences. This disc also includes filmographies for the major cast and director, but it contains no biographies. ~ Dan Heaton, All Movie Guide