Scent of a Woman (R)

Al Pacino is known for many movies, some playing to our love of action (“Scarface,” “88 Minutes“), others to our fondness of crime dramas (“The Godfather,” “Dog Day Afternoon”), and still others to suspense thrillers (“Insomnia,” “The Recruit”). Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Pacino is a force to be reckoned with and has worn many hats over the years. However, one hat he is not particularly used to wearing is method acting and melancholy drama, but one, that when the occasion calls for it, he wears so well one wonders why he is not cast in these roles more often. And it’s in the most unlikely movie that he pulls this act off, cast alongside, as a co-star not titans like James Caan, Robin Williams, or Colin Farrell, but a then 22-year-old Chris O’Donnell in Martin Brest’s 1992 drama “Scent of a Woman.”

O’Donnell, who would go on to star in many box office blockbusters such as “Batman & Robin,” (1997) and “Vertical Limit” (2000), got his start, much like actors Matt Damon, Ethan Hawke, and Ben Affleck, by starring in a number of ‘prep school’ themed movies. However his somewhat sympathetic character in Dick Wolf’s 1992 racial drama “School Ties” in no way speaks to the endearing, almost-too-perfect Charlie Simms he portrays in “Scent of a Woman.” Charlie is a one-of-a-kind a young man attending prestigious Bard Preparatory School on financial aid against white-collar classmates, a man who seems to come to terms with his class struggle in an almost too convenient package, but one that places him between two men seemingly fighting for his soul – one, the uptight and conniving Bard Headmaster (James Rebhorn, “Independence Day”) and the other retired Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a blind, stubborn, and mean drunk living in his niece’s garage.

The plot of the movie is simple enough, and is a catharsis for Charlie while a meaningful period of reflection for the Col. A few days before Thanksgiving break, Charlie and classmate George (Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”) see a trio of students preparing a school prank on the Headmaster, a prank involving paint, a balloon, and the Headmaster’s new Mercedes. While funny in its execution, the prank lands Charlie and George in hot water as the Headmaster delivers an ultimatum – give up the guilty parties or face expulsion after Thanksgiving break.

“To tell or not to tell…or it’s your ass,” the Col. oversimplifies as Charlie recants the events. And this is certainly not the first, nor the last pearl of wisdom the Col. delivers to Charlie over the coming weekend. How did they become entwined? Charlie answered an ad in the paper for some extra money by taking care of the Col. while his niece and her husband go out of town. With his mind still on impending doom at school, he thinks it will be a quick buck. But he couldn’t be more wrong. The Col. announces the two are going to New York City for a tour of pleasures, a move that blindsides Charlie but one he feels powerless to stop.

“Scent of a Woman” is a movie that poises itself as a long-weekend, coming-of-age story but quickly becomes something more. In this same way Col. Slade poises himself as a hard ass, insult-throwing has-been but also becomes something more. It’s what these unlikely two become together that form the foundation of this movie, a foundation that quickly captivates us singularly while begging our attention.

It does this with scenes that blend so smoothly we barely recognize their occurrence. There’s Col. Slade sharing his love of women on a plane to New York; there’s Charlie, with the world weighing down on his shoulders sharing his troubles with the Col.; and there’s scene after scene that propel their relationship forward, from a dinner at a five start restaurant, to blind Slade tangoing with a beautiful woman (Gabrielle Anwar, “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken”), to Ferrari test drives, Thanksgiving dinner with Slade’s brother, to finally the realization that the Col. may be seeking more than a tour of pleasures on this trip as his isolation and depression forces Charlie to face choices he never thought he’d have to make.

Al Pacino absolutely owns this movie with a performance unlike any I’ve seen. And it’s no surprise that Pacino won an Oscar for “Best Actor in a Lead Role” for his portrayal of Col. Slade. During its 157-minute runtime, you never once see in him a glimmer of crime lord Tony Montana, nor a hint of mobster Michael Corleone. His speech is brusque, all military, and shifts suddenly from a calm grandfather to an angry drill sergeant at the drop of a hat. And his portrayal of a blind man is spot on, the result of studying those living with the condition and, as he stated in an interview, “never letting his eyes focus on anything.” The effect is quite convincing, though even impaired he still never misses a beat. Once, as Charlie mock-salutes him he snaps, “Many men, better than you, have extended that courtesy. And if you’re smart…you won’t try it again.”

Most of the movie is told in this way, with Slade seeing the world through his other senses, from the feeling of smooth skin after a shave, to the sound of a sports car’s wheels on unrestrained ground, to the “scent” of a beautiful woman nearby. Watching this unfold puts to shame depictions of the blind in movies such as “Daredevil” and “Blind Fury.” He truly pulls off the act, if for no other reason than he doesn’t appear superman, healthily acceptant of his condition. He fights it at every turn, longs for his ability to be a productive member of society but realizes, sadly, that this may never happen.

Likewise O’Donnell, though young, turns in a more restrained performance, yet one that allows him to break out of movies supersaturated with young stars. Pitted against Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Cole Hauser in “School Ties” never really gave him a chance to shine. However in “Scent,” even pitted against a tour-de-force like Pacino, he manages to demonstrate extreme potential – a potential, sadly, I haven’t really seen since. Perhaps it was Brest’s direction, or the story’s commitment to character development, but during this movie O’Donnell delivers in Charlie something smart, touching, and unassuming.

Some scenes are comic, such as one where he expresses his desire to meet a particular woman, yet some are more somber, as when he realizes his classmates may have hung him out to dry. And one scene, really the movie’s climax, features a showdown between Slade and Charlie that is both tender and awe-inspiring to see. Pacino clearly owns the scene – however, I can’t imagine it having the same effect without the petrified bravery that O’Donnell brings to the table.

A lot can be said about “Scent of a Woman,” but, on par, it’s one of those movies that you need to see to understand. The movie is less about the Thanksgiving holiday it takes place during and more about the growth that takes place because of it. It has humor, drama, and seriousness, and features great performances by all involved. While the prep school showdown ending threatens to (and probably does) reach melodramatic proportions, it’s a worthwhile effort and a well-deserved wrap-up to a movie that unexpectedly grows on you.

In a boisterous monologue during “Scent’s” conclusion, Pacino delivers a triumphant retort to the question, “Are you finished?” “No, I’m just getting’ warmed up.” With movies like this in his repertoire, we can only hope this to be the case.

– by Mark Ziobro