Review of Serpico (1973) by Danny R — 23 Jul 2015
Sidney Lumet's tough, fascinating, true-life character study of Frank Serpico an honest New York City policeman, who discovers wide-spread corruption in the police department during the early 70s. He is ostracize and endures the scorn and mistreatment from his fellow cops while attempting to perform his job with honesty and integrity.
Al Pacino delivers a complex, mesmerizing Oscar nominated, Golden Globe winning performance, which is one of the finest of his career, as the nonconformist undercover cop who couldn't keep his mouth shut after witnessing cops on the take.
He goes to his superiors but they just ignored his charges, so he makes the potentially deadly decision that will make him a marked man in the police department, Serpico goes public with his revelations to the New York Times newspaper about the corruption within the police department, this action trigger an independent investigation by the Knapp Commission.
Based on the book by Peter Mass with a excellent screenplay by Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler. Astute direction by the late great Sidney Lumet, with exceptional supporting performances by John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Tony Roberts, and Cornelia Sharpe.
The film benefits greatly by a solid sense of reality that is conveyed by the great use of New York City locations, focusing on the habitues of street crime. This is one of the great gritty works of cinematic art from the early 70s cinema.
Highly Recommended.
This review of Serpico (1973) was written by Danny R on 23 Jul 2015.
Serpico has generally received very positive reviews.
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