Is Scent of a Woman appropriate for children?

# Scent of a Woman - Parental Guide This R-rated drama contains strong language and violence, plus moderate sexual content and disturbing scenes that aren't suitable for children. While it features a meaningful mentorship story, the mature themes and explicit content make it best reserved for mature teens and adults who can handle its darker elements.

What age is Scent of a Woman suitable for?

Our verdict for Scent of a Woman is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is Scent of a Woman safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Moderate

👻

Horror / Scary

Moderate

About this movie

Type

Movie

Released

1992

Rating

Genre

Drama

Synopsis

Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.

Cast

Al Pacino

Lt. Col. Frank Slade

Chris O'Donnell

Charlie Simms

James Rebhorn

Mr. Trask

Gabrielle Anwar

Donna

Full cast on IMDb ›

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

Affiliate links support ScreenWise at no extra cost to you.

Parents also checked

The Shawshank Redemption

Not recommended

Forrest Gump

Not recommended

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
Every child is different — always preview content for your family's specific needs.