Review of Scent of a Woman (1992) by Spangle — 16 May 2014

Charming, funny, and powerful, Scent of a Woman is a good film anchored by a legendary performance from Al Pacino. Without him, this film would be nothing extraordinary. But, with him, it is elevated significantly. Overall, the story is ok and is somewhat compelling, but every line spoken by Pacino are a mixture of emotions. On the surface, many undeniably funny, but it is also hard-hittingly powerful or inspirational, while many of them are simply depressing, as he is a man who thinks he has no further purpose in life. On top of Pacino, Chris O'Donnell does a great job (as does Philip Seymour Hoffman in a small role RIP), making this even more of an acting showcase, rather than a superb film. However, regardless, the film is incredibly enjoyable and endearing as we learn to love Slade (much like Charlie) and all of his little quirks. Plus, his monologue at the end is absolutely phemomenal and really stands as one of the best monologues in film.

On the negative side of things, it is a tad long. I love getting to see this much of their lives, but if it could be cut down to at least 2:10 rather than almost 2:40, it would be really beneficial. There is really no reason for this one to be so long. Otherwise, Scent of a Woman is a solid film that is lifted to new heights by a bravora performance from a living legend in Al Pacino who continously wows you throughout the film.