What we flagged
View all categories
Our take
Scarface follows a Miami drug lord from his rise to his collapse. It is a harsh, adult crime drama with graphic shootings, a brutal chainsaw scene, heavy cocaine use, and nearly constant strong swearing. The film spends as much time on the damage of Tony's choices as on his early success, but the content is extreme throughout. This is for adults.
Uplifting themes
This is a cautionary tale, so the only real message is that greed and violence destroy everything, including the man chasing them. There is very little warmth to hold onto along the way There are no real role models here. Tony is magnetic but monstrous, and almost everyone around him is corrupt, violent or doomed
Story (may spoil tone)
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.
What we flagged
Details
Violence The bloodshed is extreme and sustained, from street executions to a mas…
The bloodshed is extreme and sustained, from street executions to a massacre-style finale drenched in automatic gunfire. One early torture scene is especially savage. The violence is relentless and graphic, with none of the gloss of stylised action
Language The swearing is pervasive and aggressive, with the f-word landing hundr…
The swearing is pervasive and aggressive, with the f-word landing hundreds of times across the runtime. It saturates nearly every scene and every argument. This is among the most profane mainstream films ever made
Sex / nudity There is some nudity, sexual content and strip-club material, along wit…
There is some nudity, sexual content and strip-club material, along with crude sexual talk. It is adult in tone but not the film's main driver. Even so, it goes further than a passing reference
Drugs / alcohol Cocaine powers the entire story, shown being dealt, snorted and piled u…
Cocaine powers the entire story, shown being dealt, snorted and piled up in huge quantities. The lead's heavy use and spiral stay front and centre, with heavy drinking alongside. Drug use could hardly be more central
Frightening A long build of dread grows around betrayals, paranoia and sudden viole…
A long build of dread grows around betrayals, paranoia and sudden violence, and the chainsaw sequence is genuinely harrowing. The mood turns bleak and airless as everything unravels
Child peril / abuse During one job, Tony refuses a plan that would harm children riding in…
During one job, Tony refuses a plan that would harm children riding in a nearby car, and the kids are briefly in danger on screen. It is a short, tense beat and the danger quickly passes
Bullying / discrimination Ethnic slurs and racist contempt surface in dialogue, aimed mostly at t…
Ethnic slurs and racist contempt surface in dialogue, aimed mostly at the immigrant characters. It fits the ugly, hostile world the film is portraying
Gore / death / weapons Wounds, corpses and point-blank killings are shown in graphic detail, a…
Wounds, corpses and point-blank killings are shown in graphic detail, and firearms are everywhere. The infamous bathroom scene is brutal even with the worst kept just off frame. Blood is heavy throughout
Dangerous behaviour Drug use and casual gun handling are constant. Tony's early success may…
Drug use and casual gun handling are constant. Tony's early success may look appealing before the story shows his collapse, so that arc is worth discussing with older teens
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
What other parents think.
Be the first family to leave a watch note.
Talk after watching
- The film makes crime look glamorous before the fall. Did the ending change how that lands?
- Cocaine drives the whole story. How would you unpack that with a young adult watching?
Ask ClearAge
Scarface
Ask about this guide, or name another film to open its ClearAge page.
