Scarface & Donnie Brasco

It's mob-movie weekend again ! This time, I managed to check out Scarface(1983), and Donnie Brasco (1997). Guess what. Al Pacino starred in both films, although in very differing roles.

Scarface


Scarface's about this fella Tony Montana who fled from Cuba to Miami, dreamed the American Dream, set up his drug empire, but ultimately lost himself to the drugs and a girl. Typically, there aint no good ending for mafia films (cos come on if there's one, it's too encouraging, right?) Al Pacino, a decade after his marvellous 5-star Don Corleone performance in the Godfather Trilogy, puts in another stellar performance as Montana. I mean, seriously, are you sure this guy is an American? He can totally speak like an Italian. And he's totally cut out for mafia movies, perhaps only matched by Robert De Niro. And maybe Marlon Brando in the original Godfather. Acting, dialogue, this guy really gets into every damn character he acts. So the story's no big deal, but it's a darn good show of how a guy made it from rags to riches and then degenerate to his death (as compared to Godfather, Al Pacino as a war hero turn mafia boss turn losing his family). And besides, Michelle Pfeifer is hot in this one, la. woot.. And there's this famous little quote. heh

Al Pacino (Tony Montana): Say hello to my little friend!

Whips out his big ass ........ machine gun and starts mowing everyone down

hurhur.




Donnie Brasco

Al Pacino, in a really weird role reversal, acted as a totally incompetent wiseguy in this show. Basically, Johnny Depp was Donnie Brasco, an undercover cop who made his way up the mafia ranks by getting in through Lefty (Al Pacino). I mean, after all that great acting by Al Pacino as mafia head no less in all his shows, now he's just a small-time wiseguy. And he isn't particularly smart to figure out that Brasco was undercover, even though I would think it's rather obvious. Hello, Lefty has got 20 yrs of mafia experience and he couldn't sniff a copper next to him?

But the show's good when it strikes you on the contrasts of both characters. Lefty's a small time wiseguy, always looking out for his bosses but never gets much recognition. He loves his own family more dearly than the mafia family, and is a strict follower of the mob 'rules'. Whereas Brasco is a cop who got himself too immersed into the mob, even rising up faster than Lefty himself (with the FBI's help no less), but at the same time neglecting his wife and kids. In the end Brasco was so sympathetic with Lefty that he wanted to help Lefty get away, for Lefty has always been on the lookout for Brasco. Quite a good story I would say.

Memorable quote, had me in stitches.

Johnny Depp (D. Brasco): You think I'm a rat...?
Al Pacino (Lefty): How many times have I had you in my house? If you're a rat, then I'm the biggest mutt in the history of the Mafia.

hehehe, biggest mutt indeed.

Mob movies to date: Godfather I, Godfather II, Godfather III, Goodfellas, Scarface, The Usual suspects, Casino, Donnie Brasco, Pulp Fiction.

Next up? Carlito's Way? The Untouchables? (starring ..... Al Pacino and Robert De Niro again !)