The F Word

Rating: Null/10 (11 January 2002)

I have to laugh at the dramatic immaturity (and Americanism) of some reviewers of this film who actually made an effort to count "the F word". I really am beginning to think that any movie review forum that tolerates comments like this is best avoided - as are countries where such mind-sets are tolerated.
But now onto the movie. Shown on TV recently in a much abridged version, with most of the violence (and not, for once as is the prudish American way, the sex) being cut out, I was impressed with the deep story-telling ability of this movie. Credit it to Brian, or to Oliver, or to Al for a magnificent performance, but the style, the pace, and the quality of this movie all differ dramatically from anything we have up at the cinema today. Most recently seen here was LOTR which is rightfully claimed as a great movie - and yet Scarface, ironically and almost ridiculously, has more of the Tolkien feel and tempo than Jackson's excellent epic.
Is Al Pacino, grandson of people from Corleone, a city that is really feared by Italians everywhere, one of the greatest actors who have ever lived? You watch this movie and decide.