A taut thriller made many times better by the absolutely brilliant Pacino

Rating: 7/10 (7 July 2008)

I didn't feel like Dog Day Afternoon was quite the absolute classic that everyone has held it up to. I think the thing that makes it truly incredible is it is yet another showcase of a young actor and what made him Hollywood Royalty, the always astonishingly amazing Al Pacino. Perhaps the film was more controversial and shocking in the seventies being that it was based on very factual events and seems to have held very true to the reality of that situation. Certainly it has it's charms as a character study because you do get a very in depth look into the characters and their lives especially Sonny (played by Pacino.) It would seem to me that director Sidney Lumet recognizes talent like no other director in the history of Hollywood being that seventeen of his stars from his films went on to Oscar nominations. That makes him a world class director or just a really good judge of acting ability and I think it's the latter because it seems to me he just lets Pacino do his magic and it literally saves this film from being run of the mill and slipping into obscurity. There are dozens of films just like this that don't get the same accolades that this one does.
Al Pacino plays conflicted and intense Sonny Wortzik. He is the reason to see this film as he goes through the emotional workings of what he has done and his entire life is pulled out before him and the media circus. It's an angry and powerful performance and he should receive a 10/10 his sole performance it is that good. John Cazale fits in with the story as quiet and dark partner Sal but he never really gets any moments to stand out and is second fiddle to Pacino easily. His character is just kind of there and doesn't really add or take away from anything in the film. Charles Durning is very good as the first lead officer on the scene who starts bargaining with Sonny. I would have like to have seen Durning and Pacino talk more and be involved longer but he gets replaced fairly quickly. Chris Sarandon, who was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar for this role is decent as Pacino's male lover looking for a sex change. However, I think he is over hyped a little because I don't think his performance was THAT good and even though they're long phone conversation and a very important part and a turning point in the film I didn't think Sarandon was mind blowing by any means. James Broderick is also very good in a fairly small role as the bank manager.
Most say the script (which won an Oscar) is smart and funny and witty and it is but I kind of feel like it's over analyzed and maybe put on too high of a pedestal. Outside of Pacino's brilliant performance everything else is pretty average. I mean if you subtract Pacino from the film it deserves maybe a six out of ten but he drives up the stakes with a heart wrenching performance. Impressively the entire film nearly takes place in and outside the bank and it's never boring, the story moves along at a great pace and never keeps you waiting for anything. The film isn't violent being only two shots are fired in the entire film but in true film noire style it is chock full of dark satire and the old message of sticking it to the man which evolved from the sixties into a Watergate society of the seventies. Dog Day Afternoon in any circle is considered a classic and I don't disagree. I just happen to think that Pacino is what makes the wheels spin and it's worth seeing for his performance and because it is a good movie, just falls short of being as great as everyone seems to think it is. 7.5/10