Johnny Simmons

Much has been said about Al Pacino’s work in Scent of A Woman. The consensus seems to be that it’s nowhere near his best work and was not deserving of an Oscar on actual merit. What’s deserving? Nobody really knows. But I liked the film. Pacino stars opposite Chris O’Donnell. The story is about a blind, retired soldier who hires a prep student to “baby-sit” him for a weekend. It turns out to be more than the student anticipated.

   

Scent of A Woman is one of those teacher films. One of those films where a wise, seasoned mentor takes a younger person in hand. Usually, the mentor seems ostensibly abrasive, and confusing but eventually it all turns out well, for the most part. That’s not intended to simplify the movie, and its merits though. It’s a good film. One of those nice small films that wraps a bit too nicely for its own good, but a nice film nevertheless. 1992 is my least favourite year of the 90s. The only film I really hold in high esteem from the year is Howards End…it’s also the only 1992 film I have memory of re-watching. I can’t say whether or not Pacino deserved his Oscar…if not him, then who? It would have been cool to see Chris O’Donnell as a nominee too. Maybe if he had had a nomination back then his career would have been better now. He has one of those recognisable faces…but from what, you’re not quite sure. It was way in that I realised I knew from guest starring on Grey’s Anatomy.

          

Scent of A Woman also has Phillip Seymour Hoffman in one of his earlier film roles. It’s always nice watching good actors back when they were young and as a fan of Hoffman it was strangely cool to see him as the young, rich kid. Even then he was good. There’s one bit of dialogue that I’m dying to use in conversation some day – if I ever get the nerve. Pacino tells his nephew, referring to said nephew’s wife “She’s either nervous or unsatisfied. You oughta go down on her.”

                    

It doesn’t bode too well for me, or the film that that’s the thing I remembered. Does it?