O Espantalho

An excellent drama about friendship with the great Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. Relaxed pace in the beginning, making one think that life can be nice after all, is replaced in the middle by harsh reality, which, by the end, almost crushes you, mainly due to the performances of the two protagonists. I'd like to believe they eventually opened the carwash. (01/05/2009)

They were away for a long time and now they’ve come back. To a world that has lost interest in them. Scarecrow is a slow, conventionally directed drama, of the kind that was made in the late 1960s and early ’70s, when Hollywood began to take interest in actual events happening “out there” (e.g. The Rain People, Midnight Cowboy, Five Easy Pieces). It is appealing primarily due to the two up-and-coming lead actors, both of whom were fresh off playing their breakthrough roles (The French Connection and The Godfather, respectively) and yet they took part in this modest but rewarding project. After the financial failure of Scarecrow, Hackman announced that he would henceforth focus on commercial projects. Pacino probably never said any such thing, but it’s clear from his filmography that he took the same path. 75% (06/03/2012)

A very decent road movie in all respects. If that is not enough to lure you in, then young Al Pacino and Gene Hackman should. Their acting performances were great and overall I liked that the film had such a nice relaxed atmosphere. Even though it doesn’t look like it at all in the beginning. (23/01/2013)

Schatzberg's film tries to follow in the footsteps of Midnight Cowboy and focuses on two outsiders on the fringes of society and the city, but something is off. In my opinion, the dramatic aspect of the story doesn't work as it should because I watched the movie at 10 in the morning and couldn't avoid having mini naps, especially in the first half. Those familiar with Schatzberg's work can't expect a fast pace, but I wouldn't blame Scarecrow for its tempo. It's more the story itself and its events that are lacking, and perhaps I was missing a strong musical motif like "Everybody's Talking at Me." I have no issue with Hackman and Al Pacino's performances, yet my overall impression is average, around 55%. However, I do like the choice of the theme. Not many films having this topic are made in the United States. (03/03/2012)