Scent of a Woman

I've always had an affinity for Scent of a Woman and I watch it every Thanksgiving without fail. It's a fantastic film anchored by an Academy Award winning performance by Al Pacino. It's a heartwarming, entertaining tale centered on two guys, one a blind, alcoholic former Lieutenant Colonel and the other a troubled young man who become the most unlikely of friends over a wild Thanksgiving weekend.

Charlie Simms (played by Chris O'Donnell) is a student at a New England Private School. Since he's there on scholarship, he doesn't really fit in with the other students. A few of the students pretend to be his friends, especially George (played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman), while lording their wealth over him and bragging about ski vacations to places like Gstaad. This leads Charlie into trouble, as he witnesses them setting up a prank that leads to the vandalism of the school Dean's prized Jaguar car, a gift to him from the school's alumni. The Dean (played by James Rebhorn), knows Charlie saw something and even offers him a bribe to get him into Harvard if he tells him who did it. Charlie is hesitant to say as he is unsure the right thing to do. As a response, the Dean states he will hold a special hearing with the school disciplinary committee first thing in front of the entire student body and he expects answers then.

In an attempt to earn enough money to travel home for Christmas, Charlie takes a job to look after blind, alcoholic Lt. Col. Frank Slade (played by Al Pacino) for Thanksgiving weekend. What he didn't bargain for was Slade's plans for the weekend were. Before he knows it, the two of them are on a plane headed for New York City. Once there, Frank admits what his plans are. Charlie will accompany him on a tour of pleasures that include eating at fine restaurants, staying at a four star hotel, and many other things. At the end of which, he states he intends to kill himself. Charlie is clearly in over his head as he tries to figure out how to deal with the loud mouthed, bullying Lieutenant. But a funny thing happens over the course of the weekend as they gradually warm up to each other and eventually become friends. Watching this mismatched pair slowly warm to one another over the course of the long weekend, with Slade trying to help Charlie navigate his school troubles being a main bonding point, is the main thrust of the plot. Of course, Slade's final plan also hangs over the proceedings, with poor Charlie repeatedly trying to convince Slade not to go through with it. 

There is something about these two, learning and growing from spending time together, each being able to give the other something. Charlie is able to give Frank a sense of purpose in his life again, someone to guide and mold and in return, Frank teaches Charlie a few things about what it means to truly be a man. Frank may present the exterior of a gruff old drunk, but inside beats the heart of a hopeless romantic and a true gentleman and it's something that starts coming out more and more as the weekend progresses, no more so then when Frank convinces a lovely young woman, Donna (played by Gabrielle Anwar) they encounter in their hotel bar to dance a tango with him, much to the amusement of an onlooking Charlie. 

I first saw this film a couple of years after it came out. My parents owned it on VHS and at the time I was discouraged from watching it (because they either thought it was too adult for me or I wouldn't like it, not sure which) but finally one day while on summer break I gave it a viewing and I really dug it. From then on, it's one I watch every year around Thanksgiving time. It's a touching film without be saccharine and anchored by great performances by Al Pacino and Chris O'Donnell. I think it's a fantastic film and one well worth checking out.