Al Pacino, Man with Subtle and Subdued Sadness

`A actor who realizes the image of a middle-aged man with anger deep inside his heart,` wrote the New York Times in its April 20th edition about Al Pacino before the release of his latest movie `People I Know.`

In the movie set to be released this coming weekend, Al Pacino plays a marketing executive at a large enterprise, a man named Ellie who is no longer in his prime years and constantly struggling with pressure from his work.

This is not the first time that Al Pacino plays such a struggling man. According to NYT, he has described the subtle image in some of his previous works such as `the Sea of Love (1989)` and `the Scent of Women (1992).

`His character is a middle-aged man, who gets tired of his life after a large setback.` Through Frank in `the Scent of Women,` Johnny in `Frankie and Johnny (1991),` and Will in `Insomnia (2002),` roles that look seemingly different, Pacino maintains some consistence like telling different episodes for a single show.

Ellie had to taste the bitterness of life due to his own faults and now is in the state of denial. It is the image of middle-aged man tired of their lives.

The New York Times, however, analyzed his real charm to as his ability `to represent fatigue so tirelessly, so energetically, almost as if it were a form of rage.`

His charm is also evidently appeared in his roll of Michael in “The God Father”(72). Michale displays a doomed grandeur when he stared other characters with his cold but intellectual eyes. So “the truly tragic character” which is now recognized as one of the greatest characters ever could be born.

Hence, the characters which Mr. Pacino played radiate such a tremendous charm. His overwhelming energy sometimes even disrupts the smooth transition in movies with romantic elements such as `Scent Of A Woman.`

The New York Times said the reason we still care about this old actor is that “we want to see what might have become of those middle age characters he plays who have still strong passion inside but has to give in and sacrifice it".

kathycho@donga.com