Director: Martin Brest
Starring: Al Pacino, Chris O’Donnell and Philip Seymour Hoffman
‘A Powerful Pacino Classic’
Blind people are rarely depicted in a respectful way in movies today. Hollywood has often built tight barriers against blind individuals without any sight. A tragic subject, blindness is seldom depicted in movies in ways which are realistic. When portraying blindness on the big-screen, filmmakers often fall prey to stereotypes. Blind characters are commonly depicted as helpless individuals without any control over destinies. Movies also have the problematic tendencies to cast able-bodied actors in the roles of people that have disabilities. This often takes away authenticity from movies which rarely capture the painful plight of individuals without sight. For these reasons, it’s rare to come across authentic portrayals of blind people in movies.
In an industry which has seldom depicted blind communities with any compassion, “Scent of a Woman” stands out as an exception. Released in 1992, Martin Brest’s film did an exceptional job portraying blind people on the big-screen. With his Oscar-winning movie, Brest painted a powerful portrait of barriers individuals without sight fight. Boasting breathtaking production, sharp storytelling and powerful performances, it’s a magnificent masterpiece about disabilities. At the centre of it all is a powerful performance from Al Pacino, who embodies a blind man’s sorrow. Ultimately, it delivers a strong message which would impact everyone affected by bonds with blind people at an early age. A breathtaking masterpiece about blindness, it’s a powerful film that is definitely without a doubt worth watching.
Set in a New England school, “Scent of a Woman” follows a scholarship student that’s tasked to take care of a blind person. Chris O’ Donnell embodies Charlie, a student searching for employment in the neighbourhood. Charlie’s dreams come true when he is able to find a stable job as a caregiver. Tasked with a duty of taking care of blind veteran Frank Slade (Al Pacino), Charlie is excited with the prospect of his new job. However, Charlie soon discovers that taking care of the veteran isn’t as easy as he thought that it would be. Frank is an irritable, depressed and pessimistic man without any hope. As Charlie and Frank spend valuable time together, they soon discover that disabilities cause families to face disaster.
Martin Brest is a newcomer to the themes of blindness. Before he had directed “Scent of a Woman”, Brest was well-known for his action comedies. He was most famous for making the action blockbuster “Beverly Hills Cop”. With “Scent of a Woman”, however, Brest made his first disability drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the barriers faced by individuals without sight, but he pulled it off successfully. Using stunning cinematography, Brest captures a student on a journey taking care of a man which has visual disabilities. Brest effectively uses montages to capture a blind man and student bonding on a journey. For instance, montages enhance the New York City scene. During this unforgettable scene, Frank and Charlie bond by embarking on a close journey to a hotel in New York City. Through montages, Brest captures the tense hardships which blind individuals go through. Using stunning visuals, Brest captures tense obstacles which blind communities in America are often experiencing.
Another admirable aspect of “Scent of a Woman” is the production. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely well-made. Brest effectively uses costumes to capture the lifestyle of a blind man. Throughout the movie, Frank’s costume becomes a strong symbol of his disability. The army lieutenant uniform that he wears every day on a daily basis showcases his identity. For instance, costumes elevate the gun scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Frank experiences a nervous breakdown as he attempts to commit suicide in front of Charlie. One appreciates costumes showcasing Frank’s identity as an individual with visual impairment. Through stunning costumes, Brest captures life from a blind person’s point-of-view. Furthermore, the music is fantastic. Thomas Newman’s music captures hardships endured by blind people. Using stunning production, Brest captures the hardships of individuals which have trouble seeing.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “Scent of a Woman” is a drama which is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture world-views of blind individuals. In Hollywood, most movies rarely address adversities experienced by people with disabilities. Thankfully, though, “Scent of a Woman” avoids these pitfalls. The film effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture the viewpoints of individuals with blindness. Throughout the movie, Frank often gives inspirational monologues about his experience as a blind individual. For instance, dramatic monologues are expertly used in the courtroom scene. During this unforgettable scene, Frank gives a strong speech about being a person with blindness to a courtroom. Through this unforgettable dramatic monologue, Brest creates a powerful disabled character audiences can easily relate to. In an industry which has all too often treated people with blindness as victims of adversity, it marks a huge achievement. Using a strong screenplay, Brest captures the intense hardships experienced by blind individuals today.
One admires astonishing performances.
Al Pacino delivers one of his greatest career performances as Frank Slade. Pacino gained appreciation for playing gangsters given an offer they can’t refuse. With “Scent of a Woman”, however, he took on his first ever disabled role. It’s not easy to portray an individual with disabilities, but Pacino succeeds. With riveting expressions, Pacino captures the angst, fear and strong perseverance of a blind war veteran. It’s a role that allows Pacino to showcase his natural charisma. Pacino won a well deserved Oscar for his role in the movie. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the greatest actors working in the film industry today.
Chris O’ Donnell is dazzling as a student that endures struggle taking care of a blind man that’s irritable. While Pacino gets the showier role, O’ Donnell is equally effective capturing a student driven to achieve his goal. As Charlie, O’ Donell captures the adversities faced by individuals taking care of people with disabilities. Whether he’s bonding with Frank in a hotel or raising his voice at students that are misbehaving, O’ Donnell uses his powerful voice to create a character that’s relatable. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood today.
Finally, “Scent of a Woman” would achieve the appreciation of everyone for capturing lives of people with blind conditions. Unlike most films about disabilities, it tackles universal themes which everyone would relate to. It discusses universal themes such as identity, friendship and mental health. Viewers aren’t required to be members of the blind communities in order to appreciate the movie. It delivers a powerful message which would engage everyone that has bonded with blind individuals at an early age. Therefore, everyone will be drawn towards the beautiful scent of “Scent of a Woman”.
Fans of Al Pacino will definitely appreciate “Scent of a Woman” and so will audiences seeking meaningful entertainment. A brilliant masterpiece, it proves that stories of blind communities are definitely worth telling on the big-screen.
A powerful portrait of the painful hardships involving mental health experienced by blind people, it’s a phenomenal reminder about the power of Cinema as an educational art-form with strong potential that can be used to inform audiences about the long-lasting struggle faced by blind communities whose stories that are all too often hidden in plain sight rarely every achieve public recognition that deserve to achieve their dreams in life no matter how unattainable they may seem in a world where disabilities often pose obstacles for people.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 