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Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Extremely violent remake. Not for kids!

Why We Rated This not for kids

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Most characters are connected to organized crime and the trafficking of cocaine.
  • Violence:

    Constant point blank shootings and sadistic torture scenes.
  • Sex:

    Mostly implied, but there is a rather disturbingly violent sexual scene between a sister and brother.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    While brands aren't explicitly featured, excessive consumption is pervasive.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Cocaine use, drinking and smoking throughout

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition was written by David Gurney

Parents need to know that this film is extremely violent from start to finish and is not recommended to anyone under the age of 17. It has developed a cultlike following, especially among teenage males. Despite the main character's death due to his violent criminal behavior, his dramatic outbursts may appeal to angsty teens. Additionally, the obscenity-filled dialogue is some of the most quotable in film history, with many lines having been incorporated into hip-hop lyrics of the past 20 years. Tony treats his wife quite poorly, verbally lashing out at her. Cocaine is a constant presence in the film.

Families Can Talk About

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  • Families can talk about how Tony's story is a rise-and-fall scenario, and how it makes the obvious point that the decadent lifestyle of a drug kingpin can crumble very easily. Does Al Pacino's character make his violent lifestyle more attractive than it really is? Is the graphic and verbal violence necessary to convey the story, or is it overindulgent? What can be said of Tony's troubled relationships with women? Does Tony ever even appear to be happy or content for a moment of the film? For that matter, do any of the characters?
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More on Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition

What’s the Story?

The powerful triumvirate of director Brian DePalma, screenwriter Oliver Stone, and actor Al Pacino came together to create this 1980s soaked reworking of the classic Howard Hawks gangster film, SCARFACE. It's the story of Cuban refugee, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) who climbs to the top of Miami's cocaine scene, eventually falling prey to both addiction and his own assassination. As Tony's wife Elvira, Michelle Pfeiffer plays the role drugged out and disinterested, convincingly enough to make her appeal to Tony almost unfathomable. In a holdover from the 1932 version, Tony's overbearing relationship with his sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) has tones of incestuous desire; only in this version, Gina actually confronts him about this in a shockingly violent manner.

Is It Any Good?

This film's reputation stands up there with Pulp Fiction (1994) as a "must see" for hip teens (especially males) who love their violence spiked with copious amounts of darkly humorous dialogue ("Say hello to my little friend."). Al Pacino gives his first of many truly over-the-top performances with gusto.

Every bit of the film, from the camera moves to the set design is excessively done, like Tony's life, and in that sense, the film is imbued with a feeling of 1980s self-indulgent immorality. This film is extremely violent and is not recommended to anyone under the age of seventeen.

Movie Details

Studio: Universal Studios, Director: Brian De Palma
Run time: 170 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/09/1983, DVD release: 09/30/2003
MPAA Rating: R for Violence, Language

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    My kid loves it but

    I feel it's too tame for me and the things are good in it also.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title off for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    the best

    the best movie in the world

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 7
    I rate this title for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    scarface rocks and al pacino rocks too

    that movie is awesome the only person who can make that movie is brien de palma and al paino he is 70 but he started being an actor when he was 20 so for his actor career he is 50 year old so you people better be nice or i will kill you rock on al pacino so if you see this note al make a scarface 2 please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Al Pacino is truly awesome!

    Really great movie! There is quite a bit of violence, and almost nonstop usage of the F-word but I think most teens can handle it.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 2.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    not a good movie

    This movie was kind of boaring I skip parts becuse they were not intersting very boraing film but the ending was so violent the actor is good!

  6. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title off for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

  7. I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Al Pacino is Terrific!

    I love this film, best gangster film ever made, me and my 13 year-old son saw this movie together! and we both loved it! i'm think of showing it to my 10 year-old son, but it does contain extreme acts of violence (involving a M-16 machine gun, grenade launcher, pistols, uzis, knives, shotguns, and most of all a chainsaw) with tons of blood! There's not much Sex and Nudity, but there is one super quick scene of nudity (breasts, nipples, belly button, pubic hair, and vagina are visible in this scene) but goes by quick! and one implied sex scene, staring at women, and one extremely violent sexual scene involving a brother and sister (half of her breasts are scene, but you don't see any nipples, because they're half covered)! They're is a great amount of drugs and alcohol in this film (mostly drugs)! And to top it off a non-stop barrage of F-words throughout the film! Does have a good point though "Money, Fame, and Power will always some how lead to sadness and depression". Might want to watch this one with your kids

  8. Kid Reviewer Age 7
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0

    the best movie ever

  9. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    It's a favorite among teenagers. Yes there is violence/blood, cocaine dealing is one of the main plots of the film and tehre is tons of swearing. However anyone over 13 would already know about this stuff.

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    The movie with the famous line "say hello to my little friends

    Don't get me wrong, this is one of the greatest movies ever made but boy oh boy is this not a movie for kids. The movie has the most use of the word F and the violence is disturbing. If you get past the graphic violence and language, you could like it. I strongly recommend this for kids age 13 and up.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    The most pointlessly violent film ever

    At least the original had a message to it.

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 3.0

    good movie

    I think it was rated correctly

  13. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    classic

    everyone says how horribly violent this movie is, is there something wrong with me , kuz in our time, theres much worse (violent) movies than this!!! movie like sin city,kill bill.okay it is a bit adult but hnestly,if ur over 10, dont be affraid AT all. this movie is a pretty sweet action flick not intelligent enough. some moments can be pretty corny, but hey, if ur alone one day and bored , run out nd rent it , its a good movie, or even go out and buy it, its worth it.

  14. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 2.0

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

  16. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    Loved dis movie, faviorte movie everr (14 years old yo)

    I loved dis movie, I know its kinda wrong to look up to Tony in the movie but its not like the next day ima gunna get in a limo to new york and get my self some coke and drugs and wut not. I aint like dat, im still a lil girl but i found this movie excellent, i can't say dta der isant curing in this movie because once in alot of the movie hes high pretty much the whole time and he curses a lil bit, ha, but still, yeah ders some sex scenes and the one that fliped me the most is between Tony and his sister, it was a lil odd but i got over it after she got shot and the best ending of any movie in the world came up, but yeah, loved it, peacee ya'll ~ Holly

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 2.0

    sz

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 3.0

    its cha boy

    alright scarface is not that great of a movie to start... its not even worth considering one of the 100 greatest movies of all time. its mediocre and its not that controvesial... the stupid conservative mindset of this cuntry is the reason why so much violence is condemmed because they are to afraid to face reality. this is the world we live in. you cant change that. this is merely a veiw of the state of the world at that time. nothing more

  19. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

    It's about a Drug Lord

    The movie is a must see movie if you like these kinda of action movies. I have seen a lot of movies on the Drug Kingdom and i would say that this is the best movie of them. However, this movie is not at all for anyone under 17.

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