The Distinct Smell of Red (2001) User Reviews

clever concept

[hamburgerman · 8/10 · 25 August 2002]

I recently had the pleasure of watching THE DISTINCT SMELL OF RED after following some of its film festival exploits, such as Planet Indie Film Fest in Canada. I found the idea of a guy living his life through Cliffs Notes to be a clever gimmick. Special kudos to actresses Robin Christian-McNair and Edi Patterson.

Operates on several levels, not all made obvious.

[moviekites.com · 27 May 2001]

This is a worthwhile indie effort, with good production values. However, just as the character Vernon needs Cliff Notes to get through life, the viewer needs to have the plot summary on hand. The acting and the story are just a bit too subtle to really communicate anything to the audience. In the end it comes together better, but The Distinct Smell of Red just takes a route too slow and meandering to get there.