Discussion What do you guys think of the movie "Scent of a Woman" with Al Pacino?

[KillingPain267]

Suicide is a big theme in it. SPOILER: Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino) plans to commit suicide but he is "saved"/prevented by Charlie. I guess the moral of the story is that suicide is not the answer. I used to be moved by the movie but kind of find it cringe now.

 

[newave3]

It's an excellent flick with a tremendous performance by one of the greatest actors of all time, Al Pacino. Not to take anything away from Chris O'Donnell who was also very good as Charlie.

I saw it a long time ago when I wasn't suicidal so the I guess I felt Charlie changing Lt Col. Frank Slade's (Pacino) decision to kill himself uplifting. From my suicidal perspective today, I applaud Frank Slade's decision to spend all his money on one last trip to NYC and blow his brains out in a luxury hotel while wearing his military uniform. It's Hollywood so of course Charlie has to intervene to change the Lt Col.'s mind.
The suicide prevention was the less important part of the movie, although it enabled the Lt Col to save Charlie from expulsion at Baird. The most important part was how the Lt Col saved Charlie's integrity and let him stay at school.
I guess you could say they both saved each other's lives.

 

[willow115]

I've never seen the movie but I've seen that clip with the line "what life, I have no life. I'm in the dark here" I resonated.

 

[KillingPain267]

I've never seen the movie but I've seen that clip with the line "what life, I have no life. I'm in the dark here" I resonated.

Yeah, it resonated with me too. But after that it's cringe because a teenage boy instantly makes him not be suicidal anymore with a few words, lol. Then later he even meets a beautiful woman falling for him and all is well, happily ever after. Reality is way worse than Hollywood fantasies. Most people who've first been down the suicide rabbit hole never recover. I wish Hollywood would show that, so that people can be aware and maybe look into ACTUAL treatments for more effective recovery.

 

[rozeske]

I recently watched it and really enjoyed it tbh. Nothing cringe worthy I saw in there. There is various degree of suicidality and why someone chooses to kill themselves and sometimes it takes very little to change their perspective and make them see the good, give them a reason to hang around, you know make them choose life. That doesn't mean it's a blanket answer to everyone's suicidal thoughts but it also isn't far fetched that it works for some, for however long that is.