Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Starring: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, Jason Isaacs, Anna Chancellor
Directed by: Anthony Fabian
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A cleaning lady (Lesley Manville) saves her money and travels to Paris to buy a Dior dress.

Review:

Tim: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a decent enough film that has some real strengths, but ultimately leans far too much into the realm of wish fulfillment for this to be a good movie. It boasts an impressive cast, but the script is too weak, too farfetched. The film seems to know its target demographic implicitly and seems to believe they aren't very discerning. I thought this was a decent movie with a few highs, but ultimately, too flawed to be relevant.

I thought the basic premise was interesting- a cleaning lady saves up her money to buy an extremely expensive dress. This could have so easily gone astray, a movie about consumerism and basing your happiness on material possessions. The whole plot sets the movie up to fail in this way. And yet, the movie never goes there. The Dior dress might be a luxury item, but it comes to represent so much more for Mrs. Harris. It represents her independence, a reward for a lifetime of service and sacrifice. It represents a different path in life, filled with adventure, friendship, and romance. It's fascinating to watch this woman become fixated on a dress as a symbol of change in her life. I thought that was brilliantly handled. This also introduces us to the world of Dior, a world most of us "common folk" would have very little exposure to, back in the day. As we watch this woman on her pilgrimage for a dress, it definitely becomes much more than a clothing item. I really enjoyed that part of the film.

Where the movie stumbles is how easily Mrs. Harris integrates into the lives of multiple Parisians, especially at Dior. I'm not sure you could tell this story believably, but the way director Anthony Fabian tells it simply doesn't work. The script asks us to throw away all thoughts of believability and logic. Mrs. Harris' time in Paris is filled with so many conveniences, so many people who immediately gravitate to her. I'm not suggesting she isn't a remarkable lady, but it felt increasingly absurd as the movie progresses. When she begins meddling in the affairs of Dior the company, I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. This is where the movie falls apart. It feels like it took shortcuts continually in the script to give its target audience a treat. Maybe little old ladies will eat those scenes up, but they just don't come across as authentic. Unfortunately, these accumulate and ultimately bog the movie down. They make the whole movie feel a bit ridiculous.

Now, the cast is surprisingly good. Lesley Manville is astounding in the titular role. I admit I haven't seen enough of Manville's films, but she impressed in movies like Phantom Thread and Let Him Go (side note, to truly see Manville's range, contrast her performance here with the latter). Manville is delightful in this role. She elevates the character of Mrs. Harris, so you truly begin to care about her as the movie progresses. She might be a bit too saintly, but Manville displays so many different emotions, it's nearly impossible not to feel something for this character. She's been through so much in her life, suffered so many indignities, so much loss. You easily root for her because of how Manville connects the character with the audience. It's a sparkling, emotional, irresistible performance. In another actress' hands, it could have sunk the movie. It seems maybe on the surface to be an easy role, but it was anything but that. Manville absolutely makes this movie substantially better by providing such an exceptional performance.

I thought the supporting cast was surprisingly great. I loved seeing Jason Isaacs in a bit of a different role for him. He steps into it with humor and energy and makes every scene he's in better. Lambert Wilson gave a strong performance as well, he was truly compelling on screen. I enjoyed seeing Wilson and Manville interact- they made a good team during their scenes. Alba Baptista was stunningly good in her small supporting role. I don't believe I've ever seen her act before, but there's no doubt she has a bright career ahead of her. Isabelle Huppert was fine, but I feel like she gave a performance that critics will overrate. Ellen Thomas doesn't get enough to do. Lucas Bravo was surprisingly good- I didn't care for him at first, but as the movie progresses, his role grows on you more and more. It was subtly quite effective. He has a cool name, too. The cast really was quite effective.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris has some clear and obvious strengths. The cast is great and some elements of the story really work. I should also mention the costumes- as you might expert, they are exquisite. The little Dior fashion show they put on is surprisingly one of the best sequences of the entire film. As you might expect, the film did receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design. This was the film's only nomination, but one I believe it absolutely deserved. I doubt this film will win (my money is on Elvis), but it's impressive that a film with as many flaws as this one has managed to score a nomination. It's a testament to those involved in the dresses and design throughout the film- they truly are impressive.

So, I definitely believe this is a weaker movie than it should have been. The script really holds it back. It does have strengths and the movie's worth watching for Lesley Manville alone. It's a decent movie and has some enjoyable moments throughout.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, Phantom Thread