One of the standout films from last fall’s festival circuit is Alex Ross Perry’s “Her Smell.” Unlike some of the film’s Tiff-debuting brethren, “Her Smell” has yet to make its way to theaters. However, that’s going to change in a couple months, and to kick off the anticipation for the film, Perry and star Elisabeth Moss talk about the film and debut a new song from the punk rock soundtrack.
For those unaware, “Her Smell” tells the story of Becky Something (Moss), a frontwoman for a punk band that has seen better days. Due to her own mental illness, compounded by addiction, the character can’t seem to get back on her feet. That is, until she takes a new band under her wing and begins trying to relive her glory days through this new project.
But even though that might sound like your run-of-the-mill musical drama, Perry promises that “Her Smell” isn’t going to be like “A Star is Born.”
“It’s raw, it’s aggressive, and vulgar, and irritating, and improper, and combative,” the filmmaker says to EW. “I wanted to make the movie where the people that think women in rock ends in the ‘70s would look at this and go, ‘Oh, well, this is filth, I hate this kind of music, I hate these kinds of mean, vulgar young musicians who can’t carry a tune.’”
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Moss says that her and Perry “have the same drive to make things that are different and unusual and no-holds-barred. We don’t have a whole lot of concern for making a pleasing character or a likable character. We like to push the envelope together.”
Part of what separates “Her Smell” from other films debuting in 2019 is the soundtrack. A song about punk rock bands should have a great soundtrack, right? Perry delivers on that promise with the help of two songwriters, Alicia Bognanno (charged to write the songs for Something She) and Anika Pyle (writing the songs for the Akergirls).
And in anticipation of the film’s upcoming release, Perry shared one of Pyle’s songs, and explained what he wanted her to accomplish with the music. “I just basically left it in Anika’s hands. I said, ‘Give me something in your voice, make it about this long, make it poppy, catchy, but make it so you can picture kids in a club who resent major label sellouts listening to this and thinking this is great music,’” Perry says.
He continued, “I just wanted there to be something different about them. I just wanted them to clearly have made some decision not to be a three-piece with bass, drums, and guitar.”