Serpico (1974) - A key 1970s film from ace director Sid Lumet and featuring one of Pacino's finest performances. The analysis of police corruption and the prejudice, heartbreak and failed relationships that Frank Serpico (Pacino) endured remains psychologically acute and makes for gripping, entertaining 70s cinema at its very best. Superb stuff.


New York’s Finest?   January 15, 2004
 9 out of 13 found this review helpful

Serpico is an excellent entry from that great period of American movie-making that began with Bonnie and Clyde, and which was destroyed by Star Wars and the whole blockbuster phenomenon. Sidney Lumet is the New York movie maker par excellance, nobody else (including Woody Allen) can get to the core of the Big Apple as well as Lumet. The story of Frank Serpico is in that long line of American "a man’s gotta do…" films (i.e. High Noon, etc), and what gives this film its power is that Al Pacino (at the height of his powers as an actor) invests Serpico with real humanity, warmth, courage, anger and all the conflicting emotions that the real Frank Serpico suffered in his lonely battle against corruption and cynicism. This wonderful film is a worthy tribute to a real life hero, and stands easily amongst the classic films of the 70’s.