Scarface

The most compelling aspect of this movie to me was the motivations of the protagonist Tony Montana in the context of his upbringing in a Communist country. Tony is driven by his resentment of communism and his desire to have autonomy over his own life. We see this at the very beginning of the film where Tony is more than willing to kill for an opportunity to go to the United States. Once in America, Tony becomes consumed with the concept of the American Dream, he believes that anything in the world he wants can be his and he will go to any length to make this happen. Through the actions of Tony, the movie portrays the American Dream in a negative light. I found this fascinating as the American Dream is a concept that is usually seen as a positive symbol of hope. In contrast to this typical narrative, the American Dream is the cause to Tony’s demise.

Watching Tony’s life fall apart left me to consider how the concepts we idealize may actually do more harm than good. As the daughter of an immigrant, I have always considered the American Dream as the gold standard for life. This idea that you can be exactly what you want and that, although this country has many flaws, American culture creates an environment that promotes the self-made man has always been my understanding of life in this country. After watching this movie though, I wonder if we are promoting the American Dream in a destructive light. Maybe we have presented a false reality that lends people like Tony to never feel like they have enough because our culture has taught them that they can always have more. The American Dream teaches that there is always a better life out there and this causes people to feel like they have never obtained the life they want, and it leads to discontentment no matter how monetarily successful one is.

After Class Discussion: 

Another interesting comparison I observed in the film was the final scene where Tony is shot and falls into the pool. When watching the movie it felt familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. I realized that this is a very similar concluding scene to The Great Gatsby movie (one of my all time favorites). Gatsby is shot and falls into his pool signaling the demise of his God like character. Both Tony and Gatsby show similarities in their development (or lack there of) and their overt chasing of the "American Dream." Both of their stories end in tragedy, the American Dream at its worst and I wonder what that says about the long term merits of chasing this metaphorical dream. I think it is an interesting comparison to consider.