Scarecrow is a film about human longing, change, and growth. Gene Hackman plays Max, a cynical ex-con who just wants to get to Pittsburgh, and start a car wash business. While walking along the side of the road, hoping to hitch a ride to his destination, Max happens upon Francis (played with deft emotional poignancy by Al Pacino). Francis is also hitch-hiking, trying to get back to Detroit, to re-unite with the spouse that he abandoned when she got pregnant.
This movie moves along at a leisurely pace, as Max and Francis gradually become friends, despite their very different personalities. The two men become embroiled in several misadventures along their journey, even getting put in a prison farm for a month. The prison stint sorely tests Max and Francis' friendship. But, both men discover that the loyalty they develop to each other, transcends the chaos that threatens to tear these two pals apart.
Scarecrow was made back when movies with intense character studies, were much more common than they are now. And this film is among the best made in the 70s, regarding the complexity of the main characters. Gene Hackman is superb as the world-weary, cantankerous Max. Al Pacino gives one of the best performances of his career, as the cheerful, yet achingly vulnerable Francis.
If you like films that have plenty of substance, intriguing characters, and splendid acting, then you owe it to yourself to see Scarecrow.
This movie moves along at a leisurely pace, as Max and Francis gradually become friends, despite their very different personalities. The two men become embroiled in several misadventures along their journey, even getting put in a prison farm for a month. The prison stint sorely tests Max and Francis' friendship. But, both men discover that the loyalty they develop to each other, transcends the chaos that threatens to tear these two pals apart.
Scarecrow was made back when movies with intense character studies, were much more common than they are now. And this film is among the best made in the 70s, regarding the complexity of the main characters. Gene Hackman is superb as the world-weary, cantankerous Max. Al Pacino gives one of the best performances of his career, as the cheerful, yet achingly vulnerable Francis.
If you like films that have plenty of substance, intriguing characters, and splendid acting, then you owe it to yourself to see Scarecrow.