Pre-Miami Vice

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2005)

Scarface came out one year before Miami Vice, and it is a very clear influence. The expensive suits, cars, the beautiful women, and especially the synth pop (by Giorgio Moroder in Scarface, Jan Hammer in Miami Vice) and obviously the subtropical Miami setting.
I had never seen this movie in full, but it was great. It did seem odd to see so many now famous non-Cuban actors dressed up as Cubans, when there were so many Latino actors out there, even in 1983. Only Steven Bauer is the real deal. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was hot, which I never suspected. And Al Pacino can't dance to safe his life.
Anyway, this is a very influential movie. The ending is predictable, and you have to wonder - doesn't anyone ever just retire and move into legitimate business?