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‘Scent of a Woman’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

August 22, 2022 · Scent of a Woman (1992) · Drama · 1:35:16 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 19:28Matt Damon — Discusses how Matt Damon and the entire School Ties cast auditioned for Charlie's role, mentions Leo would have been interesting but probably too skinny/young to be convincing as a senior former football player
Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:34Jack Nicholson was offered Colonel Slade and turned it down (Pacino also initially declined); Bill thinks a Nicholson version is darker and more sinister and the movie is better with Pacino. He also cites Stallone's 1997 Conan claim that he turned down Frank Slade, and notes Philip Seymour Hoffman auditioned five times for George.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:22Chris Rock went out for the Charlie role — and Rock later said the movie would have been more interesting if Charlie had been played by a Black actor. Chris also notes Nicholson 'arguably did do Colonel Slade in A Few Good Men.'

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 31:16Thanksgiving dinner scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 45:38How this movie started the running joke/formula about winning Oscars by checking boxes and overcoming something; roles that become famous where actors know it could change their life; the trope of disabled characters having superhuman powers
Chris Ryan▶ 47:27It's a really good New York movie - the ability to shoot in hotels like the Waldorf Astoria and call places with juice to get prime reservations, which you can't do anymore

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 48:45When he makes him take the inventory of the mini bar

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 49:02the Oak Room

Great Shot Gordo Award

Chris Ryan▶ 49:07The two shot of the two guys sitting at the table when they announce the verdict, with everybody standing up and cheering in the back

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 49:25The movie should end after the redheaded teacher talks to Slade - everything after that scene is unnecessary
Chris Ryan▶ 50:09The extensive Karen Rossi house scenes where she talks about the Thanksgiving vacation and gives kids baths instead of just hiring him quickly

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 52:48How many drinks a day was Slade consuming - calculates it as 16 shots a day based on Chris's estimate
Chris Ryan▶ 52:40Slade drinks 8 to 9 doubles over the course of a day, starting basically at lunch

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 55:39No, he liked the original title
Chris Ryan▶ 55:42Amputated Spirit (but acknowledges it wouldn't have played as well)

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 55:55The day we stop looking, Charlie is the day we die.

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 58:04Pacino's performance in Scent of a Woman isn't one of his eight best performances
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:48Karen Rossi should be ashamed of herself for abandoning the blind colonel to a teenager over Thanksgiving

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:03Al Pacino — Al Pacino as Frank Slade, particularly in the crying scene where he says 'I'm in the dark here'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:04:00Al Pacino — Al Pacino as Frank Slade - 'you could probably put Frank Slade as the name of this category'

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:55Gabrielle Anwar — Torn between Gabrielle Anwar (tango scene) and Manny the Chauffeur, but leans toward Gabrielle Anwar
Chris Ryan▶ 1:06:32Bradley Whitford — Bradley Whitford as Randy

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:27Pacino prepared by learning to appear blind (trick was not focusing eyes on anything), worked with lieutenant colonel on gun handling, origin of 'hoo-ah' from military trainer, there are 6 hoo-ahs in the movie, Trump/Marla Maples cameo was cut, and Frank Slade would have voted for Trump because he loved what Trump stood for

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:40Chris O'Donnell — Yes for Chris O'Donnell, movies built around blind characters, 1989 Ferrari Mondial T Cabriolet, horrible Thanksgivings in movies, and the Ranger Chokehold. No for Pacino and 90s hunk actors crying (says McConaughey in A Time to Kill is better).
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:00James Rebhorn — Agrees on Rebhorn having a big scene/part, discusses blind movie characters and boarding school movies but doesn't give definitive yes/no positions on most items.

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:38John Daniels
Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:41John Daniels

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:17Suggests Wayne Jenkins as Colonel Slade, particularly for the 'Wayne Jenkins on pussy' scene
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:55Wayne Jenkins as Mr. Trask delivering the 'You're going to jail a long fucking time' line

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:26Al Pacino — Pacino

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:05Dog Day Afternoon
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:06The Chocolate War

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:56The day we stop looking is the day we die

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:03Al Pacino — Pacino
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:09Al Pacino — Agrees with Pacino but puts Hoffman very high up as well

Movies Referenced (59)

Heat (1995)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Twister (1996)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 28:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

School Ties (1992)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Few Good Men (1992)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 22:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Any Given Sunday (1999)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 6:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Collins (2015)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 58:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Two for the Money (2005)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 12:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carlito's Way (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 43:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Malcolm X (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Unforgiven (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Time to Kill (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Martin Brest

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Scent of a Woman, Midnight Run, Beverly Hills Cop▶ 8:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Francis Ford Coppola

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II▶ 18:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 27:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Daniels

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 16:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 3:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 46:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (51)

Al Pacino

60 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 4:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris O'Donnell

24 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Batman & Robin, Scent of a Woman▶ 4:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philip Seymour Hoffman

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Master, Capote, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead▶ 7:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Craig Sheffer

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for A River Runs Through It▶ 34:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Fences, The Book of Eli▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 18:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Rock

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Five, The Longest Yard, Head of State▶ 1:03:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 6:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 12:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Hader

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Skeleton Twins, Inside Out▶ 1:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gabrielle Anwar

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Scent of a Woman, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead▶ 33:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Eldard

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Super 8, Deep Impact, Ghost Ship▶ 36:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Malcolm X

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Malcolm X, V for Vendetta▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bo Goldman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Scent of a Woman▶ 15:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Attica Locke

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 10:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Blinded by the Light, The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 1:34:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Grisham

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Runaway Jury, The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill▶ 18:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗