Al Pacino at his best

Rating: 7/10 (5 May 2011)

Al Pacino stars in this film based on the set of historical events that took place in Brooklyn, New York during the early seventies. Dog Day Afternoon retells the story of these events when Sonny and Sal decide to rob a bank in Brooklyn, but their efforts seem to have failed when they realize most of the money has already been collected for the day and soon the police have the entire bank surrounded. The remainder of the film reveals Sonny's interactions with his hostages, the large media crowd that has gathered, and Detective Moretti who attempts to negotiate with Sonny. I think Al Pacino is exquisite in his role, revealing the truly human personality of someone who decided to disobey the law. I found it impossible to not feel sorry for Sonny's character, as he brought realness and a true New York feel to his role. This film also showed how the media can take something and create an enormous spectacle of it, to the point that even the people in danger are caught in the televised web and forget their potential danger. If you want to see Al Pacino at his prime acting career, Dog Day Afternoon should be on your list.