--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know what I expected – no maybe I…" description: "\"“I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino from Scarface- but this drug dealer is more like Al Pacino at the beginning of The Godfather r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg" --- # I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino… ![“I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino from Scarface- but this drug dealer is more like Al Pacino at the beginning of The Godfather reasonably bemused, untouched by his criminal world, sitting with Diane Keaton whispering about Luca Brazzi, not yet asleep with the fishes, or like…” quote by Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg) > ““I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino from Scarface- but this drug dealer is more like Al Pacino at the beginning of The Godfather reasonably bemused, untouched by his criminal world, sitting with Diane Keaton whispering about Luca Brazzi, not yet asleep with the fishes, or like Al Pacino from Glengarry Glen Ross, although actually, now that I think about it, he's not like Al Pacino at all but more like Kevin Spacey from that film, and who's ever been afraid of Kevin Spacey?”” [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker compares a character’s detached, bewildered demeanor to iconic actors in famous crime films, highlighting a surreal, disoriented perspective. **In simple terms:** A character feels oddly calm amid chaos, like famous movie criminals. Key Takeaway Recognize when you’re observing absurdity rather than participating. Themes disorientation cinema character analysis absurdity Mood confused analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - film critique - psychological observation - social commentary Key Concepts identity detachment media reference Questions to Reflect On - How does media influence our perception of real people? - What does detachment reveal about coping? A Different Perspective The comparison may obscure the character’s true motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Al pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-pacino/) [Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diane-keaton/) [Drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drugs/) [Glengarry Glen Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glengarry-glen-ross-230083/) [Godfather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godfather/) [Godfather Reasonably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godfather-reasonably-5423291/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Pacino Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacino-like-1581089/) [Pacino Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacino-scarface-4085879/) [Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarface/) ## Related quotes > [I was doing a play out in L.A. 20-some-odd years ago called 'Goose and Tomtom' by David Rabe, and somebody saw it and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schiff/i-was-doing-a-play-out-in-l-a-20-some-odd-years-ago-called-goose-and/) [Richard Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schiff/) > [I love the early films of Al Pacino - 'Scarface,' 'Serpico' - and I love many science-fiction films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornella-muti/i-love-the-early-films-of-al-pacino-scarface-serpico-and-i-love-many/) [Ornella Muti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornella-muti/) > [Both 'Consenting Adults' and 'Glengarry Glen Ross' revolve around the economic stresses of the '90s. They are about what people do when they're pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/both-consenting-adults-and-glengarry-glen-ross-revolve-around-the/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [They say you don't want to meet your heroes, but those two guys, you do want to meet them, because they do not disappoint.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/they-say-you-don-t-want-to-meet-your-heroes-but-those-two-guys-you-do/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I don't know if my father realizes this, but I remember sitting there watching 'Apocalypse Now,' watching Pacino in 'Scarface' and watching James Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shea-whigham/i-don-t-know-if-my-father-realizes-this-but-i-remember-sitting-there/) [Shea Whigham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shea-whigham/) > [For me, the motivation really was to work with Al Pacino. To me, that seemed like an incredible opportunity, just a learning opportunity because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-allen/for-me-the-motivation-really-was-to-work-with-al-pacino-to-me-that/) [Karen Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-allen/) > [I love Al Pacino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain/i-love-al-pacino/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain/) > [Mature roles full of substance the kind played by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino - my favourite actors - is what I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/mature-roles-full-of-substance-the-kind-played-by-robert-de-niro-and/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [I can't wait to meet Steven Spielberg or Al Pacino again so I can say, 'I have to tell you how you know me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/i-can-t-wait-to-meet-steven-spielberg-or-al-pacino-again-so-i-can-say/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [I saw Al Pacino on the street once. That made me very nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-broderick/i-saw-al-pacino-on-the-street-once-that-made-me-very-nervous/) [Matthew Broderick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-broderick/) > [I want to make a movie with Al Pacino someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/i-want-to-make-a-movie-with-al-pacino-someday/) [Jodi Lyn O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/) > [Al Pacino never looks like he's being filmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/al-pacino-never-looks-like-he-s-being-filmed/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [Voices are a good way to get in and out of things. James Carville constantly calls my wife to say I'll be home late.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/voices-are-a-good-way-to-get-in-and-out-of-things-james-carville/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“I don't believe in God, I only believe in Al Pacino, and that's the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-only-believe-in-al-pacino-and-that-s-the/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) ## More by Jess Walter > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Without sounding overly sentimental about the process, I'd say trying to describe how you tend to conceive of a book is like describing how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/without-sounding-overly-sentimental-about-the-process-i-d-say-trying/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“What person who has enjoyed life could possibly think one is enough?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/what-person-who-has-enjoyed-life-could-possibly-think-one-is-enough/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [For me, movies and television are interesting because they are the dominant storytelling form of our time. My first love will always be fiction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-me-movies-and-television-are-interesting-because-they-are-the/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [In seventh grade, with some vague sense that I wanted to be a writer, I crouched in the junior high school library stacks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/in-seventh-grade-with-some-vague-sense-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-i/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“There would seem to be nothing more obvious, more tangible and palpable than the present moment. And yet it eludes us completely. All the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/there-would-seem-to-be-nothing-more-obvious-more-tangible-and/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [People sometimes ask who I would cast in my books and I never have any idea. I don't think I could ever write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/people-sometimes-ask-who-i-would-cast-in-my-books-and-i-never-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“A writer needs four things to achieve greatness, Pasquale: desire, disappointment, and the sea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/a-writer-needs-four-things-to-achieve-greatness-pasquale-desire/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Life, he thought, is a blatant act of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/life-he-thought-is-a-blatant-act-of-imagination/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“And Pasquale forced himself to look away from her then. It was like prying a magnet off steel, but he did it: he turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/and-pasquale-forced-himself-to-look-away-from-her-then-it-was-like/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [I've been simultaneously drawn to and repelled from Hollywood for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-ve-been-simultaneously-drawn-to-and-repelled-from-hollywood-for/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [I cling to the idea that Herman Melville had to work at the end of his career watching ships in a dock, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-cling-to-the-idea-that-herman-melville-had-to-work-at-the-end-of/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [I come from a newspaper background, so maybe I'm attuned to current events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-come-from-a-newspaper-background-so-maybe-i-m-attuned-to-current/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Maybe every couple lived in the gaps between conversations, unable to say the important things for fear they had already been said, or couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/maybe-every-couple-lived-in-the-gaps-between-conversations-unable-to/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“How do you think it should end?” Young Pasquale considered the question. “Well, instead of going back to America during the war, he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/how-do-you-think-it-should-end-young-pasquale-considered-the-question/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Explore all 177 Jess Walter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) ## More Al pacino quotes > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [“I don't believe in God, I only believe in Al Pacino, and that's the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-only-believe-in-al-pacino-and-that-s-the/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [Voices are a good way to get in and out of things. James Carville constantly calls my wife to say I'll be home late.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/voices-are-a-good-way-to-get-in-and-out-of-things-james-carville/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Al Pacino never looks like he's being filmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/al-pacino-never-looks-like-he-s-being-filmed/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I want to make a movie with Al Pacino someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/i-want-to-make-a-movie-with-al-pacino-someday/) [Jodi Lyn O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/) > [I saw Al Pacino on the street once. That made me very nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-broderick/i-saw-al-pacino-on-the-street-once-that-made-me-very-nervous/) [Matthew Broderick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-broderick/) > [I can't wait to meet Steven Spielberg or Al Pacino again so I can say, 'I have to tell you how you know me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/i-can-t-wait-to-meet-steven-spielberg-or-al-pacino-again-so-i-can-say/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [Mature roles full of substance the kind played by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino - my favourite actors - is what I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/mature-roles-full-of-substance-the-kind-played-by-robert-de-niro-and/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [I love Al Pacino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain/i-love-al-pacino/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain/) > [I love the early films of Al Pacino - 'Scarface,' 'Serpico' - and I love many science-fiction films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornella-muti/i-love-the-early-films-of-al-pacino-scarface-serpico-and-i-love-many/) [Ornella Muti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornella-muti/) > [I have grown up watching Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Dev Anand, Amitabh Bachchan and the likes. These are actors who have changed with time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-rampal/i-have-grown-up-watching-marlon-brando-al-pacino-dev-anand-amitabh/) [Arjun Rampal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-rampal/) > [Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay and Al Pacino made me want to act. I've always been interested in men with a vulnerable side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/michael-caine-tom-courtenay-and-al-pacino-made-me-want-to-act-i-ve/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [When I was young, 'Scarface' was my favorite film. Al Pacino is my hero. I want to work with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain/when-i-was-young-scarface-was-my-favorite-film-al-pacino-is-my-hero-i/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain/) > [I look up to actors. I look up to Robert DeNiro, I look up to Johnny Depp, I look up to Al Pacino, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-furlong/i-look-up-to-actors-i-look-up-to-robert-deniro-i-look-up-to-johnny/) [Edward Furlong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-furlong/) > [I've always wanted to work with my friend Al Pacino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-ve-always-wanted-to-work-with-my-friend-al-pacino/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) [Browse all 26 Al pacino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/al-pacino/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino from Scarface- but this drug dealer is more like Al Pacino at the beginning of The Godfather reasonably bemused, untouched by his criminal world, sitting with Diane Keaton whispering about Luca Brazzi, not yet asleep with the fishes, or like Al Pacino from Glengarry Glen Ross, although actually, now that I think about it, he's not like Al Pacino at all but more like Kevin Spacey from that film, and who's ever been afraid of Kevin Spacey?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jess Walter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i-do-al-pacino-from-scarface/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Al pacino" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i-do-al-pacino-from-scarface/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/jess-walter-2228_al-pacino_i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i_1485390.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know what I expected – no maybe I do, Al Pacino from Scarface- but this drug dealer is more like Al…” — Jess Walter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jess Walter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I don't know what I expected...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i-do-al-pacino-from-scarface/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-don-t-know-what-i-expected-no-maybe-i-do-al-pacino-from-scarface/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```