What is this movie really about? A prequel of what Miami Vice would later become, Tony Montana’s obsession with being recognized as “someone” at any cost sets the tone for what would unfold at the end. In spite of how greedy and powerful you think you are, there will always be someone on top of you.
Tony Montana: Me, I want what’s coming to me.
Manny: Oh, well what’s coming to you?
Tony Montana: The world, chico, and everything in it.
In “it”, everything is tacky, loud, overindulgent, immoderate and, categorically, immaterial. Undeniably, this shallow splendor was very present in the 80’s. You wanted, you needed, you got it and, once you owned it, you soon discarded it, in pursue of the next “thing”. Such was the time to go as overboard as you pleased. The decade of excess! Of no importance was the fact that you did not have the slightest clue on why you first felt any given desire or what purpose would it serve when you finally attained it. Things were just at hand for you to grab! And any Montana –as exquisitely personified by Al Pacino– felt entitled to gloat on all that was available for gloating… and then, some more!
But this ruthless side of the so called “American Dream” is only the icing on this cake. The main issue here is what Montana’s mother always made him feel: “Why do you have to hurt everything you touch? Why do you have to destroy everything that comes your way? ¡Mal agradecido! ¡Mal hijo!”
Inadequate? Useless? Evil? No; much worse! A wound that hurt deeper. For not revealed reasons, she considered him scum! Such is his permanent scar!
Tony Montana —regardless of how devilishly attractive he looks in that black shirt— is nothing more than scum!
He knows the difference between good and wrong. Of this, there are several distinctive references in the movie. He also knows he has lost the vulnerability of his soul; hence, his fierce attempts to protect her sister from losing hers. He knows he will never be able to become his aspirational «best». His own mother’s emotional abandonment has undermined him. That is why he chose to become his aspirational «worst». Because, in spite of it all, he was determined to transcend, in one way or another.
And he had the balls!