#REVIEW: “MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This delightful Film takes place in ’50s London and follows widowed cleaning lady Ada Harris (Lesley Manville). She’s spent most of her life living and providing for other people and their dreams, rather than tending to herself and having dreams of her own. But that all changes one day while cleaning one of her rich client’s apartment. When she lays her eyes on a beautiful Dior dress she decides she must have one of her own. After working to raise the funds to pursue her newfound dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook — but the future of the House of Dior.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris has all the ingredients for the title of the feel-good Movie of the year. It tells an uplifting story, is laced with quintessential British humour, and at the centre is the pitch-perfect performance from the incomparable Manville. The heart of the story is about finding yourself — your wants, needs, and desires — later in life. Manville excels at showing the inner conflicts Ada struggles with, mainly putting herself before others. We watch as Ada tends to her clients’ homes and their personal lives. However, no one tends to her, even herself. Until she falls madly in love with the couture Dior dress and starts her journey to get one of her own. This results in an underdog character that no audience member will be able to resist.

When she arrives in Paris, she faces many challenges, mainly being accepted in the glamorous world of Dior. None more so than Claudine (a perfectly cast Isabelle Huppert) who works just under Christian Dior himself. She is our entryway into the classist world of the fashion industry during this time. She takes one look at Ada and immediately sends her the other way. Even after Ada proves she has the cash, Claudine — with a casual roll of the eyes — expresses her disgust at having to service her. However, it doesn’t matter what obstacles Ada faces, she tackles each issue with determination and optimism.

It’s this optimism and Ada’s humbling personality that makes those around her more tender. We watch as she speaks to each person working at the House of Dior. She speaks to them with respect and care, something most haven’t experienced in their line of work. And this is where Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris works as a love letter to those who clean across all industries, and those who work in fields that go unnoticed by society at large. Ada is invisible to most people, even those she cleans for. However, she bites her upper lip and carries on. Eventually, making her dream a reality. And she achieves this while never treating others as she has been treated.

Overall, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a delight from start to finish. It has an underdog story about it never being too late to achieve your dreams. And Director Anthony Fabian visually tells this story with all the dazzle, style and flair of a couture Dior dress.

Universal Pictures Canada and Focus Features release MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS in cinemas Friday, July 15, 2022.