Scarecrow features Al Pacino and Gene Hackman as Lion and Max, two strangers that meet on the road and develop a friendship as they travel throughout the country. Max dreams of opening a car wash in Pittsburgh and Lion plans on meeting his child for the first time in Detroit.
I would recommend 'Scarecrow' to all viewers who are interested, as I am, in knowing better Al's earlier filmography, or his filmography in general, because it is different than most of his movies.
Lion is a comical, yet sentimental and shy character. In his essence, he resembles Sonny Wortzik, in 'Dog Day Afternoon' when it comes to his good intentions, pure heart and complex nature. Al seems to have gotten the comedy and sensitivity part right, and at times his performance is really touching, as the scene when he's playing with the children by the fountain. My problem with Lion is that, unlike Sonny Wortzik, for instance, he seems unrealistic - he's way too childish and innocent for a man his age, and seems to lack any sexual interest. Max, played by Gene, seems kind of caricatured in the beginning, but eventually becomes more believable, and the friendship he develops with Lion is beautiful in some parts of the film.
The problem is this friendship starts out of nowhere, with Lion agreeing to be in Max's car washing business even though they only knew each other for a few hours. And the film continues with inexplicable scenes of them together, that are way too long, and yet, leave the impression that the friendship could've been better explored. Not to mention how painful it is to see Al in such vulnerable positions as almost being raped by a cell mate. The end is an unbelievable anti-climax, that makes you wonder if there really was a thought given to the meaning of this film, or to the continuity of the plot. Of course, not all plots have happy endings, and it shouldn't be expected from 'Scarecrow', but the story seems to have been interrupted, rather then ended. If anything this movie should be watched for Al's and Gene's endearing performances.
I would recommend 'Scarecrow' to all viewers who are interested, as I am, in knowing better Al's earlier filmography, or his filmography in general, because it is different than most of his movies.
Lion is a comical, yet sentimental and shy character. In his essence, he resembles Sonny Wortzik, in 'Dog Day Afternoon' when it comes to his good intentions, pure heart and complex nature. Al seems to have gotten the comedy and sensitivity part right, and at times his performance is really touching, as the scene when he's playing with the children by the fountain. My problem with Lion is that, unlike Sonny Wortzik, for instance, he seems unrealistic - he's way too childish and innocent for a man his age, and seems to lack any sexual interest. Max, played by Gene, seems kind of caricatured in the beginning, but eventually becomes more believable, and the friendship he develops with Lion is beautiful in some parts of the film.
The problem is this friendship starts out of nowhere, with Lion agreeing to be in Max's car washing business even though they only knew each other for a few hours. And the film continues with inexplicable scenes of them together, that are way too long, and yet, leave the impression that the friendship could've been better explored. Not to mention how painful it is to see Al in such vulnerable positions as almost being raped by a cell mate. The end is an unbelievable anti-climax, that makes you wonder if there really was a thought given to the meaning of this film, or to the continuity of the plot. Of course, not all plots have happy endings, and it shouldn't be expected from 'Scarecrow', but the story seems to have been interrupted, rather then ended. If anything this movie should be watched for Al's and Gene's endearing performances.