"The world is yours" Cuban refugee Tony Montana reads on an advertisement. The ad promises a world in which the sky is the limit and anything is possible. In short, it is selling the American Dream, something Tony and millions like him are eager to buy no matter what the cost. At once a thrilling tale of one criminal's rise and fall and a nightmarish exploration of the American Dream gone wrong Scarface is more than a cinematic classic, its iconic. As the immigration debates rages and the war on drugs has devolved into a war of attrition Scarface remains as visceral and relevant now as it was over forty years ago. Seize your piece of the American pie with Tony in Scarface.
The film begins in 1980 Miami as Cuban refugee Tony Montana arrives at US customs as part of the Mariel boat lift. Despite his criminal past he is able to secure a green card after agreeing to assassinate a former member of Castro's government. He soon discovers that America's streets are not paved with gold, however, and becomes dissatisfied with his new life. In an effort to accelerate his climb up the ladder to success he take a job purchasing cocaine for a local drug lord. Although the deal goes horribly wrong Tony proves his worth to Frank, earning him a permanent position in Frank's operation. The film then follows his meteoric rise and inevitable fall as he ultimately becomes a casualty of his own ambition.
Since its inception, cinema has showcased an array of gangland dramas. While innumerable films before it chronicled the rise and fall of the American gangster few did so with the scathing social commentary of Scarface. Instead of merely following Tony's life of crime the film uses his story to explore deeper issues surrounding the American Dream in an era of modern excess. While he believes that he is pursuing a new life in America it soon becomes apparent that he is still striving for the same wealth, power, and respect that have always eluded him. This point is further emphasized by the fact that he pursues his supposed new life using the same violent criminal means that he always has. Thus his American Dream proves to be little more than a more high-end version of the nightmarish existence that he has always known. The film also offers a scathing criticism of 80's excess. Released during the height of the 1980's economic boom, the film aptly portrays the life of easy money, fast cars, and loose morals that defined a decade. Rather than glamorize life in the fast lane, however, the film condemns these same excesses as each of the characters find themselves more isolated, unsatisfied, and ultimately empty as attain their materialistic goals. Descend into the dark side of the American Dream with Tony in Scarface.
The film transports viewers to the grit, glamour, and excess of 1980's Miami thanks to the work of its star-studded cast. Robert Loggia and F. Murray Abraham are equal parts smooth and sleaze as drug lords Frank and Omar. Michelle Pfeiffer blends biting wit with icy charisma as Frank's cynical trophy wife, Elvira. Steven Bauer infuses Tony's best friend and right-hand man Manny with humor, charm, and surprising complexity. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio sizzles as Tony's sultry but stifled younger sister, Gina. Even in the midst of excellent supporting performances, however, Al Pacino dominates the film as Tony. In Pacino's hands Tony is more than just another criminal and is instead a personification of the American Dream gone tragically wrong.
In its exploration of both the gritty underbelly of 1980's excess and the dark side of the American Dream Scarface remains as startling and startlingly relevant as it was upon its initial release. The biting script offers a gangland saga in the tradition of the Prohibition-era classics while serving up scathing social critiques that have proven nothing short of prophetic. The electrifying performances transport viewers to the by turns glittering and gruesome world of the modern drug trade. Take on the world with Tony in Scarface.
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