Like a Fine Wine...

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2015)

Overall Impression: Scarface is the definition of a good movie. It is a very serious gritty crime drama, starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana and is well supported by Michelle Pfeiffer and Steven Bauer who play his love interest and best friend respectively. Directed by Brian de Palma, this film was panned by the critics upon the film's release in 1983, due to the films vulgar and violent nature but it has aged very well and in a way it was ahead of its time, as audiences back then had not seen anything quite like it
Scarface is about the rise (and subsequent fall) of Tony Montana, who along with thousands of other fellow Cubans make the voyage to Miami during the cocaine boom of the 1980s. Once in America, Tony quickly gets involved in the criminal world, in which Tony rises up the criminal ranks to a point where he is a drug lord. However his greed gets the better of him and his selfish nature brings about his downfall.
The cast of Scarface makes the film the masterpiece that it is, but it is really Al Pacino alone who makes it this way in a role many consider to be his greatest work in a 40-year acting career. Sure he has been criticized over the years for his over-the-top acting in this role, but this acting is exactly how Tony should be portrayed. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Tony's love interest for the film in Elvira. Pfeiffer accurately shows how tough it would be to live with someone who has a life similar to that of Tony. Steven Bauer plays Montana's best friend in Manny, in this role Bauer has delivered a good performance, as Manny is relatable and the viewer generally has feeling for him.
Scarface is a great example of what happens when a film has a good director, good writer and a good cast. Brian de Palma's direction is very eye grabbing and ahead of its time, as it showcases the 80's backdrop better than most films released in the decade. The film is shown to be very dark, which keeps the audience on the edge of their seat but a tone such as this isn't very uncommon in films of a similar genre. The sound is also very good, with it accurately describing what is happening throughout the film.
Scarface is a mirror image of most other gangster films in that it relies on the theme of the "American dream" as the main basis of its story. This is best summed when Tony is talking about life with his best friend Manny and states that, "In this country you gotta make the money first. Then when you make the money you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."
Scarface reaches the high standards of other films of its genre like 'Goodfellas' and the first two 'Godfathers'. The acting is first-rate, especially from the film's lead. The film's direction, (although criticised upon the films release) has aged well dramatically. So if you have not seen Brian de Palma's powerful Scarface in a while,or even in general, I strongly suggest you do so.