Scent of a Woman
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Movie Reviews of Scent of a Woman
Movie Review: v. enjoyable film; the always-dependable Al Pacino shines
Summary: 5 Stars
A little long, but still a very enjoyable movie; capped off with a wonderful performance from the always-dependable and masterful Al Pacino
Charlie (Chris O'Donnell) knows who participated in a practical joke on headmaster Trask, but can't decide whether to snitch or not. He is given the opportunity to think it over during the Thanksgiving weekend, and it is during this weekend that he decides to take a deceptively simple job house-sitting the retired and blind Col. Frank Slade (Pacino). However, Charlie finds his situation is complicated by Slade's decision to go to New York for the weekend and intention to have a good time before "blowing [his] brains out".
Al Pacino FINALLY won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as the blind and abrasive Col. Frank Slade in Martin Brest's "Scent of a Woman." It is one of his best performances, and he rightly deserved an Oscar for it (especially after being snubbed by the Academy for his even better performances in The Godfather I and II and "Dog Day Afternoon"). Pacino makes the foul-mouthed and abrasive Col. Slade into someone sympathetic and even lovable. Much of this comes from Pacino's natural charm, but his performance never becomes too sentimental, which is admirable. Also, Pacino plays a blind man very convincingly, and he did it without cheating (i.e. wearing sunglasses, wearing contacts, etc.). It really is a masterful performance.
Although the movie could have easily been shortened by half an hour, this film has its (many) delightful moments. Perhaps the best scene in the film is Col. Slade's awkward but really beautiful tango with Donna (the gorgeous Gabrielle Anwar). The mere premise of a blind man, who feels spiritually dead, tangoing and laughing and having a great time with a beautiful young lady is hypnotic, in a way. You'll have to see it to know what I mean. (The music to which they tango is also lovely.) Other fantastic scenes that really showcase Pacino's acting include his appearance at the family dinner, the scene where he learns to drive a Ferrari, and the scene at the hotel where he decides to blow his brains out. Even in the quieter moments, as when Pacino says goodbye to Charlie and feels his face, the mere gestures make this movie even better.
In addition, the dialogue is often coarse and witty. Col. Slade's trademark "Hoo-Hah!" is hilarious. His musings on women and cars are bitingly funny. The only problems I have with the movie are its length (as mentioned before, it could have been shortened rather easily without losing too much) and the ending, at Charlie's disciplinary hearing, which feels too rushed. Nevertheless, it is a very enjoyable movie, and Pacino fans can't miss this one. 4.5/5
Movie Review: By far my favorite movie
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first heard of this movie, I had no clue what it was about. My friend and I saw a teaser poster with Al Pacino and Gabrielle Anwar dancing the tango labeled "Scent of a Woman". Putting two and two together, we went into the theater thinking we were watching a love story until the movie started. Whoops. Despite my misgivings in the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised. What I found was a riveting story of mentor-mentee relationship. I love movies that involve the master taking young grasshopper under his wing. Except master is not Mr. Perfect himself. Both the student and the teacher learn from each other's weaknesses. And despite Lt Col Slade's struggle with his misfortunate blinding accident, his Army core values were still in tact. Hard-working and willing to give up a Thanksgiving weekend to look after an embittered retiree, Slade sees an underlying goodness in Chris O'Donnell's fragile, fence-sitting character, Charlie. Like most young men his age, he was susceptible to peer pressure and could easily choose the wrong path as his friends had. Slade is blind but easily sees the temptation to compromise the boy's integrity and future. "This old bat has sharper radar than the Nautilus" Slade tells his young league. He lays all the cards out for Charlie to see, but knew instinctively it was up to the boy to make his own decision. Charlie eventually shows his true colors in the face of adversity. Like a good soldier, he never leaves his commander's side even when the danger is self-inflicting. Character like that is a rarity in anyone and must be preserved! This prompts Slade to reciprocate his support for Charlie who is enrolled in a prestigious school reknowned for producing some of the most important figure heads in America. "Be careful what type of leaders you're making," he warns the school staff. Charlie learns lessons in life that no school could teach him.Underneath the tough exterior, there was a softer side to Slade. He definitely had a thing for the ladies. Instead of playing up a macho cassanova, "Mac-Daddy" persona predominate in a lot of films today, Slade is quite the charmer and gentlemen. He's cultured, sophisticated, genteel and surprisingly knowledgeable about women's perfume. Hence the film's title. I find that warrior-poet quality incredibly sexy and appealing. You can't resist a man who makes the tango look so easy and doesn't mind getting "all tangled up" with you. A beautiful role played by Pacino earning him a well-deserved oscar which probably was most credited for by his empowering monologue in the end. This is by far his best role in a movie.
Lovely film. Sweet, sad, romantic yet uplifting. This is truly a classic for the ages.
Movie Review: HOOO-- HAH!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is a classic, it totally defines modern filming, it is what a film should be like, well made, tender and very precise, it should incorporate explosive or tense scenes with sadness and elegeance, it should put the shy in with the confident to bring out the best in a guy, it should involve Al Pacino in which he single handedly destroys any other actor on screen by his unque crisp talents. Scent of a Woman does this, it is a masterpiece.
Al Pacino is brilliant as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a retired, arrogant, blind army veteran with a hell of a lot of charisma, in this film he is teamed up with Charlie Simms, a young shy college student with a lot to learn. During the thanksgiving holiday he decides to take up the job of taking care of the colonel whilst juggling with his school life problems and the fact that he has been unwillingly taken to New York City for a grand tour by the insistent Colonel. In New York, Charlie (played by Chris O' Donnell) finds out that Frank is planning on indulging in many luxuries before killing himself, Charlie decides to go along although his anxiety shows, he clearly wants to get the Colonel back to Massachussetts safe and sound, but does not seem to have the guts to stand up to the assertive man, bearing in mind he is in deep trouble with the college, and must decide on whether to snitch on some of his buddies for pulling a big prank on the headmaster, this problem could mean him being booted out, and if he conforms he is promised ( by the headmaster) to be boosted into Harvard, he is in a dilemma, the tension is conveyed well throughout the film by Chris O' Donnell and I think that was his best attribute to the film. He still doesn't come close to out-performing Pacino who deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar at the 1992 awards. The ending is even more tense, after avertting a potential suicide bid, Charlie and the Colonel head back to the Baird College for an assembly to see who takes the fall for the prank, with Charlie and his rich buddy (played brilliantly by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, you are made to hate him, he reinforces this feeling constantly, he does act very well) and it ends with the Colone and a magnificent speech that is loud but heartfelt and I love it.
If you like ferraris, fantastic restaurants, sexual material, a bit on the guns, fantastic stories about soldiers juggling grenades, a fantasticly directed set by Martin Brest and Al Pacino in top form then you'll love this film, and everybody should.
Movie Review: Pacino...strikes gold!
Summary: 5 Stars
Al Pacino (Scarface) won his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 1992 when he starred in Scent Of A Woman, a movie directed by Martin Brest (Beverly Hills Cop) and co-starring Chris O'Donnell (Batman Forever).
Pacino plays Lt. Colonel Frank Slade, a blind and retired military officer who spends thanksgiving weekend with his caretaker, a young and poor Oregon man named Charlie, played incredibly by O'Donnell, in New York City.
Charlie goes to a rich boy's school, Baird, where he is held as a witness to a disciplinary issue revolving around an incident that humiliated the headmaster, who threatens expulsion for Charlie if he doesn't tell the board who the perpetrators were. On the other hand, the other witness is a rich man's kid, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), who eventually gets an easier treatment. Charlie decides to work over the thanksgiving vacation as a caretaker for Slade, whose family leave him to go out of town.
Pacino's performance as Slade strikes gold. He's vicious and moody for a blind man, one who refuses to be held at the arm when walking, but he's also lonely, miserable and in need of a good time. Charlie accompanies Slade against his will to New York City where Slade has set an agenda that includes dining in a fancy restaurant, attending thanksgiving dinner at his estranged brother's house, dancing the tango with a beautiful woman, played by Gabrielle Anwar, driving a Ferrarri, getting laid, and finally blowing his brains out.
What makes the movie engaging is the bond that we see gradually occuring between our grumpy old man and the sweet and sensitive young man, and how Slade stands up to the lonesome poor boy with a lot of integrity in the climactic disciplinary hearing scene.
Scent Of A Woman is one of the best and most unforgettable motion pictures of the past 15 years.
Recommended
A
Movie Review: Scent of a Woman
Summary: 5 Stars
A retired Army veteran and a young prep-school student meet at the crossroads of their lives during the Thanksgiving holiday. Al Pacino is Army Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, medically retired for blindness, who tows a reluctant Charlie Sims, actor Chris O'Donnell, to New York for a holiday bash. While it starts out as "Real Life 101" for Charlie at the hands of the abrasive and experienced Frank who has been around the world three or four times, magic begins to happen as both get to know each other.
Charlie faces possible expulsion from his school for disciplinary reasons, and Frank is tired of living as a recluse at his daughter's home. The two meet when Charlie takes a job to look after Frank while his daughter is away for the holiday. Frank has a grand plan to enjoy the fruits of life he has missed for years and their trip to New York exposes the innocent Charlie to some bold adventure regarding women, politics, war, liquor and Ferraris. While Charlie's eyes are opened by Frank's candor about life, he also learns that Frank has lived in pain for several reasons and it's about to get the best of him.
The real magic occurs as Charlie's discipline issue, awaiting his return from the holiday, resurrects Frank's Army officer instincts and it is this that affects major changes for both men in the coming days. While there is a lot of humor and great moments, there are some dramatic scenes to stir your emotions. The spontaneous tango between Frank and a young woman at a New York restaurant will melt women's hearts and Frank's rise to help Charlie delivers one of the best scenes in cinema history.