|
|
|
1992
|
SCENT
OF A WOMAN
|
|
|
STARRING:CHRIS
O'DONNELL,AL PACINO,JAMES REBHORN,GABRIELLE ANWAR,PHILIP SEYMOUR
HOFFMAN,NICHOLAS SADLER,TODD LOUISO, MATT SMITH,RICHARD VENTURE,BRADLEY
WHITFORD
BASED
ON THE NOVEL BY GIOVANNI ARPINO
SCREENPLAY
BY BO GOLDMAN
PRODUCED
BY MARTIN BREST
DIRECTED
BY MARTIN BREST
GENRE:DRAMA
RATED:AUSTRALIA:M/UK:15/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:157 MIN
|
Charlie
Simms (Chris O'Donnell) is a high school student who attends the prestigious
Baird school with aspirations to go to Harvard. Coming from a lower
class background (he won a scholarship which pays for his tuition),
Charlie decides not to go home for thanksgiving and instead accepts
a job taking care of retired Navy Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino),
a cranky, blind, middle aged man whose hot temper makes it almost
impossible to get along with. Unknowing to all, Col. Slade has already
planned to spend the weekend in New York City where he will stay in
a first class hotel, eat a meal in a high class restaurant, visit
his estranged older brother and make love to a beautiful woman all
before taking his own life. Charlie begrudgingly accepts Col. Slade's
request to join him, while dreading the consequences of his refusal
to name the culprits of a prank made on his high school principal.
Four years after crime/comedy Midnight
Run, producer/director Martin Brest has directed
a fine coming of age, life affirming remake of Dino Risi's Profumo
di donna, which is well adapted by Oscar winning screenwriter
Bo Goldman.
The films main feature is the excellent, hypnotic performance by Al
Pacino. A charismatic war horse who loves to tell antidotes about
his time under former President Lyndon Johnson, loves to drink (he
affectionately re-names Jack Daniels to John Daniels) and adores women,
Pacino eats up this meaty role with much vigour and gusto, finally
snagging an Academy Award in the process. He plays a blind man exceptionally
well, and the way he chews up and spits out Goldman's hefty dialogue
is simply dazzling. In short, it is one of his best performances.
Chris O'Donnell can be forgiven if his performance is dwarfed by Pacino's
robust acting exhibition. He gives a good performance as the poor
boy surrounded by spoiled brats and plays the awkward teenager very
well. Sometimes a little to well, as there were times I just wanted
to reach into the TV and shake him out of his stupor. What seems to
go against this film is that when Pacino is not on the screen it is
very dull watch. O'Donnell is just not interesting enough on his own.
He contemplates Pacino very well, but when he is solo the movie drags
on at a very slow pace.
There are many memorable moments to be found, with first and foremost
the tango scene between Pacino and the stunning Gabrielle Anwar. Pacino's
blind Colonel driving a Ferrari is another highlight, as is his inspirational
speech near the end of the film which although corny, is very affective
and delivered well by Pacino. |
|
|
