ReviewReview

Cast & crewCast & crew

Scarface

(1983)
4 stars
18
This scorching update of Howard Hawks's 1932 classic by director Brian De Palma relocates events to Miami and follows the rapid rise and violent fall of a Cuban refugee turned cocaine-smuggling kingpin. Al Pacino produces one of his finest scenery-chewing performances as the ruthless criminal pursuing the American Dream, and he gets top support from Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife, Steven Bauer as his partner in crime and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as his sister. The sharp, if expletive-ridden, dialogue in Oliver Stone's script and the vivid cinematography of John A Alonzo help make De Palma's urban shocker a modern-day classic and one of the best movies ever made about the subject. However, some may find its excess in all areas — especially the final massacre that outdoes The Wild Bunch — more off-putting than entertaining. AJ

Contains violence, swearing, sex scenes, nudity.
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Running time

162min

Country of origin

US

Genre

Crime Drama

Original language

English

Screenplay

Oliver Stone, from the 1932 film

Theatrical distributor

Universal

UK cinema release date

August 2009

Film certification logos reproduced by kind permission of BBFC
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Director
Brian De Palma
Starring
Al Pacino
Steven Bauer
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