I’m mixing things up a little bit today, as I write this review, I’m sitting at an airport terminal waiting to board my flight in an hours’ time. It’s the first time being back on a plane since the pandemic hit and seems an appropriate time and place to reflect upon this film.

Last Sunday evening I ticked off one of the films I’ve had on my ‘trailers I’ve seen at the cinemas’ watchlist for some time now. Something a little different and after a busy few weeks and a packed weekend, it was a nice way to relax into a Sunday evening.

I’d also arranged with mum we’d go see this film together a few weekends ago, as it was the next available day in the calendar!

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a gorgeous film and at its heart, is the story of an underdog overcoming the odds.

Set in post WWII London, Mrs. Ada Harris works as a domestic house cleaner for many well-off clients, living in hope that her beloved husband Eddie will return to her from the war. She is a woman who works hard with a small yet strong support network and who believes in a bit of luck.

As she fears, Mrs. Harris soon receives confirmation that her husband is presumed and declared dead during an accident that occurred in the war. This news sets off a chain of events, which ultimately leads Mrs. Harris on a journey to Paris to buy a couture Dior dress.

It’s a relatively simple story with no major twists and turns, which I don’t mean in a negative way. Mrs. Harris is the underdog that we are cheering on in her seemingly small dream. While the film doesn’t portray being ‘nice’ or ‘good’ to getting what you want, it does show that kindness can go a long way.

It also demonstrates that you should never judge a book by its cover, which can be said about all the principal characters in the film. At surface level it is easy to make assumptions about who a person is, however, people are getting by the best they can. This is especially the case in the period the film is set, after the war.

A couple of things that stood out for me in this film was firstly the soundtrack. It is beautifully scored, accompanying the film superbly. It’s one of those scores that at times you don’t quite realise it is there as it does its job so well. I’m actually listening to it right now as the background to writing my thoughts.

The second would be the use of cinematography when Mrs. Harris first sees a Dior dress and then again when she goes to view the collection, finding “the one”. The way the film captures how she is taken aback by the dress, gives the appearance as if she is floating as the rest of the world melts away. It is a great way to accentuate the moment you see something that you desire and have an instant must have feeling. Whether that be for a dress, a car, another person, or perhaps even a lego set!

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is more than a film just about a dress. It’s about finding your way in the world and sometimes that means looking at things from a different perspective. It’s about holding onto your dreams, for you never know what is around the corner.

It may not be a film you immediately find on your radar but I promise you’ll have a smile on your face by the end.