Wonderful character development!

Just perfect...

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

When this movie came out in 1973, I was 13 years old. I saw it when it was first released and I've seen it several times since. Growing up in Queens NY and being the son of a NYPD Police Officer, the movie has always hit close to home, as my father was "on the job" during Serpico's tenure, and regularly confided in my mother the concerns he had working in "plain" clothes. Serpico's story is a one that needs to be told and retold as it is about the individual goodness of humanity, and the difficulties of maintaining your innocence in a corrupt organization. It should also serve as a chilling reminder, that those who are supposed to serve and protect, do not always carryout that function per their oaths and should be held accountable. Having spent a lot of time with NYPD cops when I was young, I can say that the performances, mannerism, behaviors and attitudes depicted by the cast were par for the course for cops of that era. Pacino is fantastic and plays the part flawlessly. People will be watching this classic for years to come.

The film follows the life of NYPD officer Frank Serpico. Al Pacino does an excellent jod portraying the tortured character who was a whistleblower of the corruption the NYPD experienced in the 60s and 70s.

I've never seen the Godfather (I know, I'm a terrible person) so this is really the first movie where I've been absolutely blown away by the performance of Al Pacino; this one's definitely Oscar-worthy. The entirety of the Serpico character and his story had me fully engrossed through this film. It doesn't feel dated at all! The score, the acting, the effects, all wonderful.And this is one of the few films that I've felt really captured the essence of a city in a certain time period absolutely perfectly. This was a dark time for NY and "Serpico" accurately reflects this through its grittiness.I love Lumet's direction in this one; all the different shots and on-sight scenes really cause the viewer to feel fully absorbed into the story, almost as if he or she is really there with Serpico. I love the strategy of using his growing facial hair as a way of showing the passing of time.I really can't say enough about this movie. Serpico is a fully-fleshed out protagonist that really makes the viewer sympathize with his plight in a corrupt society. This story feels oh too relevant over 40 years.

"Serpico" is a fascinating character study and a masterful police/courtroom thriller in one movie. It features one of the all time great film performances from Al Pacino in the title role as a conflicted cop who just wants to do the right thing, and another excellent directorial turn from that unsung American master, Sidney Lumet.All Frank Serpico ever wanted to be was a cop. He is uncomfortable on the job from the start as his colleagues on the force cut corners and lie in their paper work about who caught who. An initial bust of three rapists ends in one of the perpetrators - the least criminal of the group - beaten savagely, but still unwilling to divulge the names of his accomplices. Serpico convinces the young black man to change his mind through diplomacy rather than violence.Smart police-work like this puts Serpico on the fast track to detective work, but he finds that the higher he climbs the promotion ladder, the more often he is expected to turn a blind eye to blatant police corruption, including superiors rubbing shoulders with mobsters, and criminals who don't even try to hide their bribery attempts, so assured are they of immunity from the palms they've greased.Serpico's climax, after so much tension is felt by the viewer through Al Pacino's characterisation, his voice, his eyes, his face, his body language, is shockingly violent and heartbreaking, but it's the solemnly life affirming conclusion I will remember.