On S List of Movie Reviews
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Serpico (1973)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
6/05, 8/11
6/05:
Al Pacino gives one of the finest performances of his career in Serpico, a true story of a NYPD cop who defied a
corrupt system.
The film holds up well. True to Sidney Lumet's form, he shoots it in docu-realism by going inside police precincts to
show how things work on both sides. I also love how the story is broken down into three acts: the eponymous character's
desire to be a cop, the moment he's awarded the gold shield, and the ending when he's all alone with his sheepdog.
All in all, Serpico is a bona fide Al Pacino classic.
8/11:
When I think of Al Pacino, I think of Serpico.
What a great performance. If you watch the opening credits, you'll notice that it only shows his name. That's it. The
movie is all Al Pacino as Frank Serpico. He makes for one of the coolest on-screen hero characters ever.
Unfortunately, the film isn't up to par as I hoped for. The biggest drawback is the intermittent slow pace. I wish
it was quicker just to get me into the story. Yet it's great: the hopelessness after being defeated by the morass of the
system. The ending is an instant classic.
All in all, Serpico is a top three Al Pacino film.