Serpico

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: December 5, 1973

8.4	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 151 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

SpangleDec 7, 2013

Alright movie that is made that much better by Al Pacino's fantastic performance. As it set up the story, it was a little tough to get into, but ultimately turned into a pretty entertaining 2 hours. Not the classic it was billed to be, butAlright movie that is made that much better by Al Pacino's fantastic performance. As it set up the story, it was a little tough to get into, but ultimately turned into a pretty entertaining 2 hours. Not the classic it was billed to be, but still a quality movie.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

alejandro970Jan 16, 2021

The hyperactive but brilliant Al Pacino in one of the roles that put him under the spotlight: the real drama of an idealistic policeman and his brave and tireless fight alone against police corruption. A classic in the 70s automatic.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

FilipeNetoApr 16, 2020

This film is based on real facts. Set in the USA in the early Seventies, it tells the story of Frank Serpico, an honest young man who became a policeman and dreamed of becoming a detective, but who clashed head-on with widespread corruptionThis film is based on real facts. Set in the USA in the early Seventies, it tells the story of Frank Serpico, an honest young man who became a policeman and dreamed of becoming a detective, but who clashed head-on with widespread corruption within the New York police force. By refusing to accept bribes, he became a "persona non grata" for colleagues and even his superiors. After many attempts to make himself heard in the highest levels of the force, he publicly denounces what is happening and ends up becoming a target.

Very well directed by Sidney Lumet, it is worth watching this film just to see Al Pacino in one of the most interesting and profound works of his career. He was truly able to show the naive way in which Serpico thought and acted when he joined the police, and the way he gradually became disenchanted with reality. The character is going through a real crisis of conscience, and Pacino was perfectly able of put that to the screen. His purity, his unquestionable honesty and integrity, his psychological and moral ordeal make him worthy of our empathy, and that empathy holds us to the end. It is no accident that Al Pacino was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor, and won the Golden Globe.

Technically, the film is very good. It's very, very dated... everything smells like the Seventies, Summer of Love etc., and the main character looks like a hippie from San Francisco, with a Che Guevara beard and bizarre clothes. But it's alright! Serpico was just like that and it was at that time that everything happened, so the film really had to be that way. The film uses excellent New York locations and scenery, and shows the city in all its tainted dove beauty.

It seems to me a little forgotten nowadays. Being a film entirely about integrity and honesty, Serpico may seem difficult to digest with all that Seventies ambience, but it deserves to be revisited, if only for the quality of Al Pacino's work.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

MarkG.May 18, 2007

A classic movie, certainly among the top five preformances in Pacino's career, not given full recognition due to the belief that its a 'dated movie' but a rivetting piece of work all the same. Brilliant screenplay and strong A classic movie, certainly among the top five preformances in Pacino's career, not given full recognition due to the belief that its a 'dated movie' but a rivetting piece of work all the same. Brilliant screenplay and strong preformance from the support cast also. The desperation of Frank Serpico as a man trying to do right in a world full of greed and corruption is expressed brilliantly. Simply a great great film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

InstaFlickaSep 6, 2010

The InstaFlicka Index 4/5 ----- The InstaFlicka Podcast Doing our part to help you by watching the NetFlix Instant Queue until our eyes bleed. http://instaflicka.squarespace.com/

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

Tss5078Sep 6, 2015

More than forty years after it was made, the name Serpico is still synonymous with heroism. The multiple award winner features arguably one of the most successful actors and directors to ever grace the silver screen, but was Frank SerpicoMore than forty years after it was made, the name Serpico is still synonymous with heroism. The multiple award winner features arguably one of the most successful actors and directors to ever grace the silver screen, but was Frank Serpico really a hero? Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) wanted nothing more than to be a police officer in New York, but once he gets there, he finds that things aren't as he'd hoped. The department is full of corrupt cops, but Serpico wants no part of it. He has no intention of turning them in, but when he won't take the money, everyone just assumes he already did, making Frank a target that has to act in order to save his own life. At first this film seems like just another police tale, that's been blown way out of portion by Hollywood, so why is it considered one of the top 100 films ever made? The combination of Al Pacino's infectious personality and Sidney Lumet's methodical and innovative story telling. At the time Serpico was made, Al Pacino was the brightest star in Hollywood and for good reason, he just has a way of getting people behind whatever character and project he's associated with. As for Lumet, he is known as an innovative director for simply trying things that everyone had available to them. Lumet uses different angles and close ups to make things more intense and exciting, as well as methodically going deeper into the story. It's this combination that made Serpico much more than simply another cop movie and a film that should be seen by all movie lovers.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

A_NorthernerSep 11, 2013

Absolutely. Everybody should watch this just for Al Pacino's performance alone. Another Oscar nominated, passionate and all round fantastic leading man performance from one of my favourite actors of all time.

Serpico begins with the film'sAbsolutely. Everybody should watch this just for Al Pacino's performance alone. Another Oscar nominated, passionate and all round fantastic leading man performance from one of my favourite actors of all time.

Serpico begins with the film's protagonist being escorted to hospital with a gunshot wound to the face and as the police chiefs begin to discuss the ramifications of it being Serpico that was shot and not any other police officer, the audience begins to understand that Serpico isn't just the average cop. It was a brave decision to start the film on this note but it works brilliantly as the audience is aware for the whole film of where Serpico's actions are leading him towards and it makes for gripping viewing as even being at work places his life at risk from those whose motto is to protect and serve.

The film does look dated, the blood in the first few scenes leaves you in no date as to the film's age, but as a character study and crime drama, Serpico really is a great film that I now consider to be a classic.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

MovieGuysAug 22, 2015

Giving us one of Al Pacino's best performances, Serpico brims with the frustration and anger of its protagonist, ripping open NYPD corruption like a bag of chips. Most of the characters in the movie don't matter; they are meshed together intoGiving us one of Al Pacino's best performances, Serpico brims with the frustration and anger of its protagonist, ripping open NYPD corruption like a bag of chips. Most of the characters in the movie don't matter; they are meshed together into one big, sleazy, corrupt, blob. This was Lumet's intention, as only Serpico, his friend Blair, and his colleague Green are given individual attention. No matter what he does, Serpico seems to find more corruption, and he increasingly becomes angrier until he finally snaps. The pivotal scene after getting back from the mayor's office is the best and most important part of the movie by far, where Pacino really shows his true colors as an actor, and Serpico shows his true anger. A classic like this will remain timeless, especially with all the symbolism and raw emotion it possesses.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

timoneApr 3, 2019

To look at how young Al Pacino is, this is the one I have in mind. Serpico is about an NYPD officer Frank Serpico played by the really young Al Pacino, who went undercover to expose corruption in the police force. It's based on an actualTo look at how young Al Pacino is, this is the one I have in mind. Serpico is about an NYPD officer Frank Serpico played by the really young Al Pacino, who went undercover to expose corruption in the police force. It's based on an actual person, Frank Serpico and it's based on an biographical book by Peter Maas. Al Pacino did a really good job portraying Frank Serpico, even the story is faithful to the original material. I would say more about Serpico but I just can't because there's really nothing more to talk about it. It's a good old biographical crime film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

KeithDowFeb 12, 2017

Legendary director Sidney Lumet pairing up with legendary actor Al Pacino automatically establishes grand expectations for the movie Serpico. Both manage to carry their weight in this true story about one man's crusade to expose widespreadLegendary director Sidney Lumet pairing up with legendary actor Al Pacino automatically establishes grand expectations for the movie Serpico. Both manage to carry their weight in this true story about one man's crusade to expose widespread corruption within the NYPD, and yet in many ways the film lacks the sort of visceral impact that their future collaboration delivers in Dog Day Afternoon.

Parts of the movie feel campy, while the portrayal of corrupt cops could have been written with an emphasis towards subtly and nuance. Perhaps this is just being nitpicky. But at a time when these two gentlemen were making other films such as The Godfather, Network, and the aforementioned Dog Day Afternoon, all of a sudden Serpico feels a bit more second-rate.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

amheretojudgeMar 3, 2018

it just gets dirtier..

Serpico Focusing the whole feature i.e. of more than 2 hours only on a single character needs content and enough material to feed the audience which they easily provide with gripping screenplay to not let them wanderit just gets dirtier..

Serpico

Focusing the whole feature i.e. of more than 2 hours only on a single character needs content and enough material to feed the audience which they easily provide with gripping screenplay to not let them wander off the screen even for a frame. Sidney Lemut still needs some better work on his execution and editing but that barely factors in here as the adaptation is way too smart and ahead of its time. Al Pacino is literally the heart of it; he beats fast and hard that helps it pumping and keeping the viewers alive for this glorious experience. Serpico breeds power, corruption, rage and politics on screen and successfully delivers it to the audience communicating through stellar performances like never before.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

DawdlingPoetMay 15, 2022

This is an interesting story (a true story at that), an insightful film about a sombre issue - police corruption. Pacino gives a great performance as the titular character. He's quite a quirky character, somewhat outspoken and dramatic atThis is an interesting story (a true story at that), an insightful film about a sombre issue - police corruption. Pacino gives a great performance as the titular character. He's quite a quirky character, somewhat outspoken and dramatic at times but not always. There are some lower key scenes but that helps to build the overall picture I guess - it's not a constant action film, though certainly some scenes are somewhat reminiscent of the 'Dirty Harry' films, so I thought. A decent film, I'd recommend this, yes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

HabibiehakimJul 28, 2021

6.5/10
Half of the movie was really works for me, all the performance was great, and Al Pacino was terrific, but the rest of the movie is just uninteresting, the dialogue is pretty complicated and kinda hard to follow, and it just make me6.5/10
Half of the movie was really works for me, all the performance was great, and Al Pacino was terrific, but the rest of the movie is just uninteresting, the dialogue is pretty complicated and kinda hard to follow, and it just make me don't care anymore on what's going on, just follow wherever they go and whatever they do but without any care at all.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews