A MASTERWORK

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2001)

Brian DePalma's "Scarface" is a masterwork; a three hour epic about the drug scene in Miami. Most of the criticisms seem to be over the language and violence. Both are so potent that the MPAA gave the film an X rating. I thought that was a little extreme.
Perhaps it is because for some, this cuts a little too close to home. According to a book "The Cutting Room Floor", Miami cops testified that the film was very realistic. Oliver Stone wrote this film while kicking his cocaine habit, according to the biography "Stone". I believe that because the film is very harrowing to watch at times.
Stone's script is unusual because it is so many different things. It is a social commentary about the drug culture and immigration and the effects of both on society. It is also a strong character study. Roger Ebert says it best when he calls the film "a wonderful portrait of a real louse". Most Hollywood films would gloss Tony Montana over, but it is to the credit of DePalma, Stone and producer Martin Bregman that they show Montana as a louse, plain and simple.
But the strongest feature of "Scarface" is Al Pacino's performance as Tony Montana. Pacino has publicly said that Montana was his favorite performance and no wonder: Pacino has a field day chewing up the scenery. This performance came after his relatively subdued roles in "Cruising" and "Author! Author!", so he relished the opportunity to play such a larger than life character. He does it so well that we can sit throughout the lengthy running time (170 minutes plus intermission)and never be bored. It is quite a showcase for his talent and he deserved an Oscar for his efforts.
As usual, the technical credits are superb. John Alonzo's Panavision photography is astonishing. DePalma demands the impossible and gets it.
Giorgio Moroder's score also helps the film tremendously. It is quite different from the thriller scores, but effective in its' own way. The editing of the picture is exceptional and doesn't falter for all of its 170 minutes. DePalma's stylish direction is perfect in every way. He captures the violence, the humor and the pathos wonderfully. Another director wouldn't have done as good a job (well, maybe William Friedkin might have).
I must warn you. While "Scarface" has very little nudity, it does have excessive violence and a plethora of foul language (Pacino says f*** at least 300 times). It is not for young children to see. A more appropriate range would be older teenagers and adults. They will be able to appreciate the social commentary and exciting action that DePalma and Stone deliver on screen.
**** out of 4 stars