the title is from “Scent of a Woman,” wherein Pacino plays a blind, suicidal veteran off on one last binge who finds redemption in serving another after a weekend of indulgences leaves him even emptier than before. This article is inspired by a recent Pacino film, “88 Minutes.” If I were Al Pacino now, I would 1)stop dyeing my hair black and 2)reject any scripts (such as “88 minutes,”) involving sex, serial killers, guns, cops, lawyers, etc. In other words, the processed meat and blotchy potatoes of Hollywood scripts. His best efforts, I believe, are not when he’s shooting people and things, but when he’s yelling at them.
Al Pacino may be Patrick Henry reincarnated in terms of oratorical ability. Even at nearly 69 years old, I’ll put him up against Obama any day. Which is why it was so disappointing to watch “88 minutes,” and how Al basically slept walked through the whole cliche-ridden piece of tripe, tantalizing us with sneak ppeks only of the glory that was “Dog Day Afternoon,” and the grandeur that was “Godfather.”
I haven’t seen it but understand his latest “Righteous Kill,” is also a mistake. How do you make a mistake with Pacino and DeNiro? Pandering/scripting to the lowest common denominator audience/market and you can’t blame the actors really for just making another pay day. At least I wouldn’t to their face. No, I’m not talkin’ to you Bobby. Especially since the script selection they probably have to choose from has all the appeal of a 2-day old buffet. “Al, maybe we can do something with this piece of gorgonzola, it doesn’t smell too bad yet.”
Speaking of bad smells, need we say “Oceans 13″? Which is just to say the brightest stars eclipse themselves from time to time, but even in the most dismal efforts (”Simone”,” Revolution”), their genuis is apparent, even in the seamiest of stories (”Insomnia”,”Sea of Love,”) their ability to convey in the character the universal struggle for goodness comes through.
Finally, my favorite Pacino effort, “Serpico,” may soon be eclipsed; or at least there is the chance that the actor has found, now in pre-production, his best role: Salvador Dali.
