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Scent of a Woman

Scent of a Woman

Drama · 1992

Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

Movie details

Scent of a Woman

“Frank Slade has a plan. It includes a weekend of fast cars, the tango, high living and a loaded forty five. And Charlie is coming along for the ride.”

1992 Drama 2h 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.8 / 10

Community rating

Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Scent of a Woman?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Martin Brest

Written by

Bo Goldman

Al Pacino

Al Pacino

Lt. Col. Frank Slade

Chris O'Donnell

Chris O'Donnell

Charlie Simms

James Rebhorn

James Rebhorn

Mr. Trask

Gabrielle Anwar

Gabrielle Anwar

Donna

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman

George Willis, Jr.

Richard Venture

Richard Venture

W.R. Slade

Bradley Whitford

Bradley Whitford

Randy

Court is in session

Put Scent of a Woman on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.