I am an absolute sucker for feel-good films. Like a big cup of tea, I want them to be warm, comforting and to leave me feeling like I’ve just come out of a long, relaxing massage. So, naturally, I knew Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris and I were going to be a match.
Yet, I don’t think I had known exactly how perfect we were going to be. I hadn’t expected to feel so incredibly happy and fulfilled after watching it. I’d assumed it would be another good, perhaps run-of-the-mill, feel-good movie, but instead I found a movie that warmed my soul.
The beautiful, joyful music that gloriously matched the opening scenes greeted me like a long embrace. And yes, it does deserve this level of romantic language. Because, though it may not be your average romance film, it has dosed me up with so much love and happiness I am now a person who uses "long embrace" to describe things.
Let me try to explain what I mean by sharing some of the thoughts I had while watching it.
1. Can Ada Harris be my friend, my mum, my family, anything… please?
Mrs. Harris is played by Lesley Manville and I don’t think you could have picked a better person for this role even if you tried. I immediately felt Mrs. Harris’ nurturing, vulnerable, fierceness through the screen. I wanted to jump in and befriend her, protect her, take her in and cook her a meal.
Despite being a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London, the character of Mrs. Harris had this air of child-like vulnerability. Not naivety, but the youthful wonder we all lose as we grow up and life wears at you. It’s endearing and from this day forward I'm honestly hunting to have my own Ada Harris in my life.
I mean, c’mon, LOOK AT HOW UTTERLY CUTE SHE IS.
2. Excuse me, does Natasha look like Audrey Hepburn to anyone else?
Especially at the burlesque show. Her hair, her pearls, that fringe! I am obsessed.
3. Park all responsibilities. I need to go to Paris right now.
I want to pack up all my belongings and move to Paris immediately. The romance, the architecture, the food, the music, the fashion – it’s not called the City of Love for no reason.
Seeing Paris through the eyes of Lesley’s character, Ada Harris, gave it that extra sparkle, too. It turned Paris into a fairy-tale world where anything was possible. Where good overcame evil and kindness reigned supreme. It made an already magical city into something even more beautiful (if that’s even possible).
4. The fact that I don't have an occasion to wear a Christian Dior haute couture dress is a travesty.
Okay, maybe I can't afford a haute couture gown right now, but if this movie has shown me anything it's that one can dream.
And dream I will of all the elegant, stunning pieces sprinkled throughout the entire film. Mrs. Harris had her eyes on a beautiful red number (which I obviously adored) but I would give up all my belongings for this white and black dress that Alba’s character, Natasha, was wearing in the fashion show.
5. Natasha and Andre are adorable, my heart has officially melted.
Now this is a match made in heaven. Natasha (Alba Baptista) and Andre (Lucas Bravo); both of whom are far too good looking, but that's not the point. Andre sees Natasha for more than just her looks. He looks past her modelling career and all the glitz and glam and appreciates her as a person with opinions, intellect, and dreams.
This is true, fairy-tale love and I wouldn't mind a cheeky bit of that myself.
6. Girl, you need to start going after your dreams.
Look, I know it's just a movie. But, I kid you not, I was sitting there watching it in my pyjamas on a Sunday thinking about all the dreams I had yet to achieve. This film pumped me up with so much hope and positivity I started writing down my goals in a dream journal that once was collecting dust in one of my drawers.
By the time the credits were rolling I was ready to run out of the house, run up those jumbo sets of stairs onto a plane screaming, “The world is my oyster!” out of the door they're probably trying to close.
I wouldn’t have made it very far, as I’m sure most people don’t appreciate someone screaming on a plane, but you get the picture.
7. I just love happy, fairy-tale endings. Especially the ones you make for yourself.
Happiness and fairy-tale endings are in the eye of the beholder. Throughout the film I was reminded of Ada Harris’ ongoing choice to see the world through a positive light. Her willingness to see the best in people and places brought her good fortune. Ada’s character always saw the good. And that good was reflected back to her.
Like the trusty adage, she always saw the glass half full.
As you can probably tell, I was in heaven. What’s better than watching something that makes you feel this good? That makes you feel like dreams can actually come to fruition, life is still full of opportunities, and real kindness exists?
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris is like chicken soup for the soul. It’s the movie you need, the movie you want, and the movie you will always fondly remember.
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris is now available on Early Access to buy or rent now.
Feature Image: Universal Sony/Supplied/Instagram/@lauraelizabeth_k