"Five Senses" is a Robert Altman-like large ensemble meeting "All About My Mother."It has a didactic theme as there's an eye dr. going deaf, a baker constructing tasteless, attractive looking cakes, a lover whose cooking tastes delicious but because of foreign language is perceived as not speaking at all, a cleaner whose job it is to eliminate odors seeking the smell of love, and no shortage of voyeurs of the 5 senses, including a massage therapist.And it all comes down to that in matters of the heart and intimacy you cannot trust your senses. Nothing is what it seems. The cinematography and soundtrack are appropriately lush, but will probably be fine on video or cable. The loose ends are mostly tied up to some satisfaction, though not all happy endings.It was nice to pick out Canadian actors from various little movies and TV shows. (originally written 7/30/2000)

I got this film after reading the back of the cover. It sounded wonderful: An exploration of the five senses through the lives of five people that interconnect. After watching the movie, I wondered where the movie that the box described went. I didn't learn anything about anything. The only good thing that has come from this film is the quote "I'm tense because your making me tense." Its been awhile since I saw the film, but I do rememeber that this film does not live up to its expecatations at all. If you've only seen Hollywood movies, then you might think that this is art, but otherwise, your in for a dud.

Roger Ebert made a point once that you can always tell when you're watching a film made in Canada because they take their time telling the story. No different here as a bunch of fascinating plots all revolve at the same time. Some quiet surprises are sprinkled throughout that make complete sense to the characters but perhaps not as well by the viewer. Whenever you see Mary Louise Parker in any movie, you know you're in for something interesting. She plays a chef whose visual masterpieces never taste as good as they look. A highly original work of delicate screenwriting with some of the most potent quiet moments of any recent film.

People have five senses (supposedly). So, why not make a movie about five people each having an issue with one of the senses? Wow! Getting goose bumps yet?Such is the shallow nature of "Five Senses", another in a fad of boring "Magnolia" type wannabee flicks which doggedly hammers at its story of loosely interconnected characters in a futile attempt to make it fit its lame premise. We get to see actors moping about incessantly as though bearing the weight of the world on their shoulders. What we don't get is a story with depth, characters sufficiently developed so we can empathize with them, and most of all, a reason to care. A lackluster bit of trite, pretentious, self-involved, stylish filmdom fluff.