Al Pacino's performance is one of the things that hold this film up. As Don Vercetti has stated many, many times, many, almost all the themes of betrayal, etc. were taken from the original. So if you're talking about all these things about betrayal and real life stuff taking place in Scarface making it a good film, might as well be talking about the original! Don't get me wrong, I love Scarface but arguments about it being Al's best film aren't very good. The Godfather Trilogy are Al's best film(s). (At least two of them, anyway )IMHO.