Mrs Harris Goes To Paris Review

Heartwarming, easy fare about following your dreams, irrespective of other’s opinions. 

Mrs Harris (Lesley Manville) is a cleaner in London, who hasn’t seen her husband since he left for war. When news comes that he has been found killed, downed behind enemy lines, she is bereft. At the same time, she happens upon a Christian Dior couture dress in the wardrobe of one of her employers, and hearing it costs £500, begins collecting the money - intent on having one of her own for her local dance night at the town hall. She then travels to Paris, and fights against social stigma to not only procure herself a Dior gown, but also make a number of French friends along the way. 

The cast is stacked in this charming, light piece of filmmaking. There’s Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Lucas Bravo of Emily in Paris fame, Jason Isaacs, and more. But above all, Lesley Manville shines as the titular Mrs Harris. Her performance is wonderfully charming and grounded, despite the relatively fantastical elements of the piece. 

Visually, there’s also a lot to love here. The film has a beautiful old world charm, but also an evident respect and love for the fashions its lead character so covets. The glorious detail shots of fabric being cut, sewn, stitched and molded look just incredible, and the camera treats these fashions like it would a star. 

There’s no surprises with a title like this that the film isn’t going to win any awards, or solve world hunger. But it is a charmingly delightful piece of cinema, that leads you down an obvious path while still making you feel the twists and turns of that path. Despite its lack of ambition, the ending still makes your heart swell and your eyes well with tears, and that’s something to be applauded. 

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris does exactly what it says on the cover. But, like a trip to a city you’ve been to many times before and loved, while it doesn’t feel fresh, it still delights.