Scent of a Woman

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2:40

Scent of a Woman

R,

1992,

2h 37m,

Holiday/

Drama

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Scent of a Woman: Trailer 1

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Frank Defends Charlie in Court

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Charlie Meets Frank

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Frank's Pearls of Wisdom

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Watchlist

82%

50 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Frank is a retired Lt. Col. in the US army. He's blind and impossible to get along with. Charlie is at school and is looking forward to going to college. To help pay for a trip home for Christmas, he agrees to look after Frank over Thanksgiving. Frank's niece says this will be easy money, but she didn't reckon on Frank spending his Thanksgiving in New York.

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Critics Consensus

It might soar on Al Pacino's performance more than the drama itself, but what a performance it is -- big, bold, occasionally over-the-top, and finally giving the Academy pause to award the star his first Oscar.

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Jan 11, 2023

1/4

As the irascible, drunken Frank Slade, Al Pacino is convincingly obnoxious and loutish, but the character doesn't grow: this is a lout with, underneath it all, the heart of a lout.

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Angie Errigo

Empire Magazine

May 27, 2011

3/5

While fairly predictable and unoriginal, it is nevertheless entertaining.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

May 27, 2011

An irascible bully who proves to have a heart of gold, Pacino's character seems manufactured by a computer programmed with box-office grosses.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jun 2, 2025

2/4

There’s exactly one lovely scene in the entire picture -- the rest is mawkish, manipulative, heavy-handed, and hokey.

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Jeff Beck

The Blu Spot

May 27, 2025

3.5/5

Scent of a Woman may run a little too long at 157 minutes, but that doesn't stop it from being a rather captivating story, featuring intriguing characters, as well as a commanding, unforgettable, and Oscar-winning performance from the legendary Al Pacino.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

May 12, 2025

6/10

Aside from Al Pacino's stellar performance, I have the feeling that its fragrance isn't very strong and, unfortunately, its dramatic essence is too conventional in dealing with themes of loneliness, anguish, and acceptance. [Full review in Spanish]

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Draco S

Feb 22, 2019

In my Top 30 of All-time. Pacino is masterful. What a really good watch this film is. 2 1/2 hrs just zooms by. Solid, solid film.

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Feb 2, 2019

The best inspiring movie ever made! With the best movie quote ever spoken: "Hoo-ah!"

Finn L

Jan 15, 2019

Scent of a woman is Al Pacino through and through. The larger than life actor is so commanding in his presence that he completely overshadows anyone around him. The film is about Charles Simms (Chris O'Donnell), a Boston prep school senior, and the Thanksgiving weekend he spends working as the aide and companion of Lt. Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), an embittered, lonely, blind veteran. The job, which begins as an onerous task performed principally for money, becomes a tour of self-discovery when Slade decides to make an unexpected visit to New York City. There, amidst all the holiday hoopla, the lieutenant's actions force Charlie into making an emotionally painful - and potentially physically dangerous - decision. O'Donnell gets overshadowed by Pacino but such is his role. There are numerous dynamic scenes in Scent of a Woman, along with a surprising amount of comedy. Director/Producer Martin Brest knows how to blend humor with drama to good effect. His mix is nearly flawless, and he manages to do almost (and I emphasize almost) the entire film without resorting to manipulative tricks.

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Jan 5, 2019

This is one of my favorite Al Pacino movies ever. Namely, because it was a different character than his usual schtick and it was done so well there is an aura he exudes as the character. Every aspect regarding his character was working, his acting, the script, cinematography, everything. The only caveat on my list and why I don't give it 5 stars is Chris O'Donnell. I know they were going for the innocent kid feeling but it fell a little flat for me. It wasn't terrible, just grossly overshadowed by Pacino's performance.

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Hermione W

Dec 24, 2018

How movies should be made.

Anakin S

Nov 16, 2018

One of my fave movies of all time! Can watch it over and over again!

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Martin Brest

Director

Al Pacino

Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade

Chris O'Donnell

Charlie Simms

James Rebhorn

Mr. Trask

Gabrielle Anwar

Donna

Philip Seymour Hoffman

George Willis, Jr.

Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Frank Defends Charlie in Court

2:48

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3:04

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - The Tango

4:00

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - The One That Got Away

2:34

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Gray Ghosts

2:36

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Charlie Meets Frank

2:59

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Scent of a Woman: Official Clip - Frank's Pearls of Wisdom

2:25

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See It/Skip It: Thanksgiving Movies

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Scent of a Woman: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Frank is a retired Lt. Col. in the US army. He's blind and impossible to get along with. Charlie is at school and is looking forward to going to college. To help pay for a trip home for Christmas, he agrees to look after Frank over Thanksgiving. Frank's niece says this will be easy money, but she didn't reckon on Frank spending his Thanksgiving in New York.

Director: Martin Brest
Producer: Martin Brest
Screenwriter: Bo Goldman
Production Co: Universal Pictures, City Lights Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Holiday, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $62.1M
Runtime: 2h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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