Serpico (1973) ****1/2

Sandwiched between the first two Godfather films, Al Pacino made his first (of two) masterpiece(s) with director Sidney Lumet, Serpico (1973). The second arrived two years later in Dog Day Afternoon. It's a shame the two never worked together again after that. While the systemic corruption exposed in Serpico (based on the real life of police detective Frank Serpico) probably felt more eye-opening in 1973, the film itself has aged incredibly well, thanks in large part to Pacino's all-in (and mostly restrained) performance, the quasi-documentary quality, the interesting editing, and the time capsule of the period (you can't deny Pacino's outfits and facial hair phases).

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