Classics: A Review of Scent of a Woman By Lauren Ennis

The saying goes that when the student is ready the master will appear. When faced with a crisis at school young Charlie Simms finds the unlikeliest of masters in curmudgeonly Colonel Slade. Over the course of one weekend both men are tried and tested in ways that leave them profoundly changed for the better. At once a coming of age story and a tale of redemption, 1992's Scent of a Woman is just the sort of film that they don't make them quite like anymore. 

The story begins with prep school student Charlie Simms applying for a job to help pay for his flight home for Christmas. He replies to an ad on the school's job board and finds himself tasked with acting as a companion to blind and abrasive retired colonel Frank Slade over Thanksgiving weekend. Before he can start his new position, however, Charlie witnesses his classmates engaging in a prank against the school's headmaster. The headmaster then offers him a proposition; tell who was behind the prank and obtain a personal reference for admission to Harvard or refuse and face expulsion. Even as he grapples with his decision, Charlie finds himself whisked along for Frank's 'last hurrah' spree in which he plans to engage in the height of life's pleasures before succumbing to a military style suicide. Over the course of the ensuing weekend both Charlie and Frank learn valid lessons in honor, integrity, and what it means to be a man.

Scent of a Woman relates a deceptively simple tale of two men thrown together by chance for a holiday weekend. This character study strikes an unusual balance between slice of life indie drama and compelling coming of age story the likes of which Hollywood has rarely seen. The focus upon Charlie and Frank's unique crises allows viewers to get to know both characters, even as it raises vital questions about our own personal experiences and choices. The script deftly weaves between moments of tense drama, sly comedy, and unabashed romance without a single misstep. Similarly, the gradual pace and engaging performances ensure that even at their most outrageous the characters feel unnervingly real. In an era in which cinema is dominated by larger than life action heroes the struggles that Charlie and Frank face seem relatively simple, and entirely relateable. As a result, viewers will be hard pressed not to empathize with and root for these two very different characters. Even as it presents viewers with two entirely human and all too flawed leads, it offers valid lessons in integrity, honor, and responsibility that remain as resonant now as they were in 1992.  This holiday season breathe in the full charm, laughter, and inspiration that await within Scent of a Woman.

"If you make a mistake and get all tangled up just tango on"

Nearly thirty years after its release Scent of a Woman remains a fan favorite thanks to the work of its cast. Gabrielle Anwar turns in one of the film's most memorable performances in her show stopping cameo as Charlie and Frank's sultry acquaintance, Donna. In an early supporting role as Charlie's sleazy classmate and fellow witness, George, Phillip Seymour Hoffman displays the talent that would make him one of the most versatile actors in modern Hollywood. James Rebhorn expertly captures the petty vindictiveness of headmaster Mr. Trask. Richard Venture and Bradley Whitford personify world weariness and bitterness as Frank's beleaguered brother and nephew. Even in the midst of engaging performances the film is dominated by the unlikely duo of Chris O'Donnell and Al Pacino. O'Donnell aptly portrays Charlie's journey from idealistic boy to a young man of integrity without missing a beat. Pacino more than earns his Oscar in a performance that begins intentionally over the top but gains nuance and complexity as both Charlie and viewers get to know the man behind the bravado.

Coming of age story, slice of life, and tale of redemption; all of these things and more can be found in the Scent of a Woman. The script utilizes wit and emotion with equal skill as it relates a simple tale to profound effect. The uniformly superb work of the cast brings the film's array of colorful characters to vibrant life. Through its call to honor and unabashed belief in redemption the film offers lessons in integrity that we could all benefit from being reminded of. This Thanksgiving weekend hit the town with Charlie and Frank in Scent of a Woman.

Classics: A Review of American Crime Story: Impeachment By Lauren Ennis

 In 1998 the world learned the name 'Monica Lewinsky' and neither blue dresses nor the words 'sexual relations' have been the same since. The latest installment in the American Crime Story anthology relates the infamous scandal that erupted in the wake of White House intern Lewinsky's affair with President Bill Clinton. Rather than merely rehashing familiar headlines, the series offers an insider's view of the Paula Jones lawsuit, the Lewinsky affair, and Clinton's impeachment courtesy of the women who lived them. Missing out on this scintillating mix of political intrigue, sexual politics, and media scandal would be nothing short of criminal.

The photo that launched a thousand headlines

The story begins with Linda Tripp working in the Clinton White House as secretary to Deputy White House Counsel and personal lawyer to the Clintons, Vince Foster. Following Foster's alleged suicide Tripp is moved to the Pentagon where she meets White House intern turned DOD secretary Monica Lewinsky. The two bond over their shared outsider status and Lewinsky reveals that she is engaged in an affair with married President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, Clinton is already engaged in a legal firestorm stemming from Arkansas civil servant Paula Jones' sexual harassment allegations. Eventually the paths of all three women are placed on a collision course that will redefine modern American politics.

American Crime Story: Impeachment tells the story behind the story that the American public thought they knew and makes for addictive drama in the process. Rather than limit its focus to the well worn details of Lewinsky and Clinton's affair, the series instead broadens its scope to include the events leading up to Clinton's impeachment and the inevitable fallout from the ensuing media circus. As a result, the series relates not the tawdry soap opera that dominated headlines in the late 1990's, but instead a damning indictment of America's media and political elites and the wreckage that they leave behind. The decision to tell the story from Lewinsky, Jones, and Tripp's perspectives proves to be one of the series' greatest strengths. Not only does this narrative structure offer vital insight into each of their unique experiences and motives, but it also highlights the ways in which all three were manipulated, used, and discarded by the very people and institutions that they trusted most. In this way the series flips the popular narrative which attempted to reduce all three women to little more than caricatures and instead offers an alternative, more complicated, tale which casts the supposed heroes of the impeachment saga in a decidedly darker light. The interlocking stories additionally ensure that the series relates a tale of power, corruption, and exploitation rather than merely the racy details of a scandalous affair. The series particularly sets itself apart from other recent dramas through its refusal to bow down to political correctness and willingness to tackle taboo subjects. For example, the series acknowledges the corruption allegations that dogged both Bill and Hillary Clinton for decades and even goes so far as to make numerous sly references to the notorious 'Clinton Body Count' conspiracy theory. For a must see all-American political drama tune in to American Crime Story: Impeachment.

The series transports viewers to the Clinton White House thanks to the brilliant work of its cast. Colbie Smulders and Judith Light infuse their performances as Republican operative Ann Coulter and Jones' attorney Susan Carpenter-McMillan with cool charisma. Billy Eichner steals each scene in which he appears as eccentric guerilla journalist Matt Drudge. Taran Killam perfectly balances insecurity and brutality in his portrayal of Jones' husband, Steve. Margo Martindale turns in another endlessly engaging performance as indomitable literary agent Lucianne Goldberg. Edie Falco combines steely resolve with cold calculation to bring the larger than life Hillary Clinton to the small screen. Clive Owen infuses his all too human portrayal of Bill Clinton with a fascinating blend of charm, ambition, and sleaze. Even in the midst of its superb supporting performances the series is dominated by its three leading ladies, whose multifaceted performances reveal the humanity behind the headlines. Annaleigh Ashford is achingly vulnerable in her girl next door turn as Paula Jones. Beanie Feldstein explores the woman behind the 'other woman' label in a portrayal of Monica Lewinsky that blends effervescent charm, endearing innocence, emotional trauma, and ultimately resilience. Sarah Paulson showcases an acting master class in a performance that goes beyond merely capturing Linda Tripp's public persona to fully embodying Tripp in all of her contradictions and complexity. Through their combined efforts the cast lend viewers an insider's view of the drama behind the drama of the Clinton administration that is certain to satisfy viewers across the political spectrum.

Through its unflinching portrayal of the scandal plagued Clinton White House American Crime Story: Impeachment sets itself apart as one of the most daring productions to ever grace the small screen. Through its well paced and intelligent script the series breathes fresh life into the familiar saga of the Clinton impeachment while offering pointed commentary at today's political climate. The series' performances bring the infamous women embroiled in the impeachment scandal to vivid life with a complexity and humanity that the media denied them. In an industry defined by woke trends and limited by fears of cancel culture the series defiantly pulls back the curtain on the hypocrisy, callousness, and machinations of America's political and media elite. Throughout the series Paula Jones, Linda Tripp, and Monica Lewinsky each yearn to share their side of the story with the American public; thanks to American Crime Story: Impeachment they just might have finally done so.