Review of Scarface (1932) by Guido M — 24 Jul 2012

"A turbulent gangster drama, that is history thanks to Al Pacino's incredible performance and memorable even though blood-splattered golden scenes".

Scarface is hard to digest. Brian DePalma has always been a violent and deep director, but Scarface is in the limit of total insanity. The movie is as violent as predicted, has lots of F Words that anyone who sees it thinks of confesing after.

Sometimes it goes too much out of the comfort zone, but indeed Scarface stills shines between gangster movies. Al Pacino as Tony Montana was absolutely perfect, a great actor who didn't exagerated and made perfect his complex character. It perfectly remarks over the violence and swearing of the movie.

But I thought the rest of the cast was just decoration to DePalma's truly first course, Pacino. They apport somehow intensity but not as much as the main character. And that somehow damages the neat plot (Neat but with blood stains all over) and they exagerate too much Brian's simple story.

Scarface is also historically outrageous, touching the themes of Castro's communism even in times where it was dangerous. Totally naked, the film shows the tough side of cuban immigrants in Miami by the 80's, the corruption, the drug thing and all that isn't right and seems right. Even though you know there is no other person in the cast that can reach Al's position, you still connected to the characters, and in lots of emotionally strong parts you will just start crying, even though is not a movie to cry for.

Resident in Miami and born in Cuba, ex-convict Tony Montana (Al Pacino) enters the drug business of Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia) and immediately starts feeling consumed by power and ambition including his friend Manny Ray (Steven Bauer). Tony also falls in love with his boss' wife, the beautiful Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer), and this will bring him lots of trouble not only with his boss but also with all the people around him.

Scarface is pretty much the baddest of all gangster drama. It's not as delightful as The Godfather but it has the sharpness and wildness that makes it an original.