In terms of inspirational heroes you wouldn't expect Tony Montana to be a go-to example, but for some perplexing reason the drug-lord has become idolised (in a general sense, but particularly in crime circles). Initially poorly received for similar reasons to The Wolf Of Wall Street (clearly these sort of films promote people mentally blocking out the final twenty minutes), the modern misunderstanding of Scarface is a bizarre one. The rise and fall of Tony Montana is pretty detailed and while for much of the film things are on the up, when things do fall it's in spectacular fashion. Yet that hasn't stopped people from getting a little wrapped up in it all. Now we'd like to think that most viewers see that this is a two-sided coin; as with most staples of the gangster genre, there's a dethroning to counter the hedonistic rise. However, not only does the thrills of that first half dominate perceptions, but the final showdown is likewise idolised as a moment of cool. "Say hello to my little friend," is the moment from Scarface, encapsulating people's love of Tony Montana, ignoring that his death cry is a point of madness. Even if the pretty grim end to the protagonist sinks in, there's still a perception that the drive behind Montana is in some way positive.
