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A Film of Substance
by Mr. Durden (movies profile)
Nov 14, 2007
21
of
27 people found this review helpful
Scarface is portrayed with stunning clarity and purpose, and its theses about morality and success are a common theme in great literary and cinematic endeavors: unchecked ambition leads to acrimony and destruction.
The vaporous rise and fall of Tony Montana, played by Al Pacino, is a constant motif explored not just by Hollywood architects and elitist authors, but also by those involved in the mundane realities of everyday life. Because the film so powerfully warns against the precarious line between motivation and greed, many find themselves attracted to it and mesmerized by its foreboding nature; it serves as a loud but accurate map for those who can empathize with Montana, for those who want to reach the top and maintain that victory.
Fueled by its already loaded theses on the dangers of selfishness and gluttony, the film presents its arguments in a witty but sobering way. Rich cultural subtexts permeate these moral arguments, as the intricacies of Miami Cuban life are tasted and serve as the natural backdrop for the film. Obscured by the more overt themes and contemplations of the film, the richness of the Cuban culture dominates the blueprint for the film's literal and abstract dialogue. The accuracy of every accented piece of slang, every subtle mannerism and swagger, every cultural attitude portrayed, is mesmerizing and unforgettable.
The character development is as swift and loud - but just as tangible - as an incoming train. Essentially, apart from the conventional rags to riches and drug tycoon plot, the film relies heavily on its character development for support. Equally important is the acting, and this goes for any film. Without good acting, regardless of its intent, every angle can become skewed, every utterance gnarled, and every important theme trivialized.
The acting in the film is exceptional; Pacino gives a groundbreaking performance that is sure to carve its own hallowed place into cinematic history. He adequately personifies the struggles, triumphs, absurdities, and mysteries of the covert drug world, but importantly, his performance leaves us unsure whether to sympathize with Montana or to loathe him, or both. Such moral and sentimental irresolution is the staple of Pacino's - and this film's - great acting.
Scarface is an intellectually stimulating, emotionally indulging, morally questioning, guns and ammo film that is a compilation of the human condition. We've all tried to move ahead, to tilt the balances our way, and this film explores the dark side of that primal desire to succeed. |
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