The Scent That Made Him Mine

starring: ISABEL POWELL & BRIAN O’SHEA

A gifted perfumer, Olivia Green’s life takes an unexpected turn when her past love, Victor Bilson, a billionaire heir, returns to claim his family legacy. He thought she betrayed him. She thought he was dead...

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐

This vertical is made by the central performances by Isabel Powell and Brian O’Shea.

The script is a bit light, and you can predict all that will happen.

But the central duo elevate the material, and make Olivia and Victor star crossed lovers, endlessly torn apart by the nightmare that is Cassie (Vanessa von Schwarz).

Cassie does look amazing, and you end up frustrated that she has fixated for so long on Victor. Girl, you could have anyone. Leave Victor and Olivia be.

But then we wouldn't have a story, and we need Cassie to drive our central pair apart.

Isabel Powell does a great job of treading that line between being a victim but also has an inner strength and standing up for herself.

Brian O’Shea totally gets his heart broken on screen in that break up scene, and then does a sterling job of keeping Victor likeable despite some of his actions, because it always comes from a place of hurt.

This is what I admire about so many of you in verticals, you take the scripts and lean into it and make it the best you can.

The storyline about the perfume is clever, and makes you long for smellovision.

There are some cute scenes, and it is great seeing some fresh faces on screen as our leads.

Now peering at their Instagrams it appears Brian O'Shea is a bit handy at martial arts, and Isabel is a Stella Adler graduate, so there is clearly so much more to come from both of them. I so hope that we see them in more verticals, and that they are given more opportunities to showcase their skills

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

This is made by the performances of the two leads - Victor is so heartbroken and damaged by the perceived betrayal. And Olivia has been knocked sideways by his ‘death’. It is all about two damaged people learning to love again.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

The whole story is driven by Cassie - she really does mess with our leads’ lives endlessly, and seems to have a sixth sense when Olivia might be watching to snuggle up to Victor and push him to say the wrong thing.

😂 Comedy gold:

It did take on a horror movie moment as I shouted at the screen “Don’t go in the cold storage room!”

🎺 Unsung hero:

Olivia’s uncle - who properly sticks up for his niece. Although thinking about it he really should have stepped in and rescued her from her alcoholic mother.

✍🏼 DETAILS

Director Chrissie De Guzman | 2025

Available on Stardust