Review of Dog Day Afternoon (1975) by Brandon S — 12 May 2011

We are introduced to Sonny and Sal Naturile (John Cazale). Moments later, they are inside the bank with guns drawn and Sonny is issuing orders to the bank manager and cashiers. From the earliest moments of the robbery, Sonny's plan starts to unravel. Police surround the bank. Detective Sgt. Eugene Moretti (Charles Durning) demands that Sonny and Sal put down their weapons and surrender. Dog Day Afternoon seems to be over, but it is just getting started.

Each successive moment seems to reveal new insight into Sonny and his motivation for the robbery. Fascinating interactions develop as Sonny tries to manage Sal, the hostages and Moretti. Pacino turns it into a brilliant character study. His delivery of lines, facial expressions and body language transform Sonny into one of the most unique characters in the history of film. Pacino's performance is by turns subtle and forceful, meek and explosive, depressing and inspirational, repulsive and charismatic. That Pacino could instantaneously switch on and off these elements of Sonny's personality and convey a full range of emotions while staying comfortably in character is a testament to his skill as an actor.

Within the span of three short years, Pacino mastered three characters that would become legends of film: Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico and Sonny Wortzik. Each has a distinct personality, manner of speaking, facial expressions and body language. Perfectly portraying the traits of any one of these characters would have been a major achivement for any actor, but to go from one to the other in succession and convincingly transform himself was a triumph for Al Pacino. His 1992 Oscar Award for Best Actor in Scent of a Woman, and his powerhouse roles of that time- Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glenn Ross and Vincent Hanna in heat - were another highlight of his career, but the early-to-mid 1970s proved his meddle.

Dog Day Afternoon never achieved the popularity of many Pacino films, but remains something of a cult classic - a counterculture portrait of criminal narcissism. Sonny is too unlikely a hero for Hollywood to handle, but thanks to Lumet, the storytelling is wonderful. Pacino had a strong supporting cast, but he stole the show.