Jimmy Carter's Favorite Film

Rating: Null/10 (11 December 2003)

Vintage, vintage, quintessential all that other jazz to describe the 1980s is captured in this one motion picture that chronicles the life of a Cuban refugee and his rise to power as a drug lord. Do you realize this film was nearly rated X because of the violence? My how times have changed. This is nothing now. Decency, of course was outlawed sometimes in the early 90s, as any child will tell you. So Scarface today when viewed leaves only the mildest impression in terms of its violence. You are more apt to be disturbed by the already outdated musical score, and sadly pretentious clothing that characterized the era. But you gotta love it. For all its many faults, I think it's really a landmark. You can sort movies pre and post Scarface rather neatly, as the doors sort of came off in Hollywood around the same time. As for the micro evaluation? It's good there too. Stone and DePalma working extremely well together, and Pacino and the supporters giving over the top yet still believable performances. It's an interesting thing to watch this 20-year-old film and see how so very much; the country and times we live in have been changed, or perhaps mutilated is a better word, by our wonderful elected officials