SCARFACE is one of the all-time great gangster films. This is a movie that, like BLADE RUNNER, was considered garbage when first released, but now considered a cult classic. It was easy to see why the critics hated it so much back then. It contains excessively brutal violence, foul language, and a lot of drug use. Everything in this movie is excessive, in fact, including the running time. This is because Brian DePalma and Oliver Stone don't want to glorify drug kingpins like Tony Montana, played by Al Pacino in an all-out performance that should've gotten the Oscar. There is good acting by others, especially Steven Bauer as Montana's partner. He has the funniest scene in the movie in which he demonstrates his unique method of picking up girls. A small but key performance is given by Paul Shenar as Sosa, Tony's Bolivian connection. All of the male actors, in fact give believable performances: Robert Loggia, Harris Yulin, F. Murray Abraham. It is the females who bring down the film a bit. Michelle Pfeiffer, in her first significant role, seems too wooden. Her most important last scene in the restaurant lacks conviction. A little better is Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Tony's little sister, but her character draws unintentional laughter because of her mushroom cloud hairstyle. Their screen time is limited, though, and don't ruin the film.
