X
- 1975
- R
- 2 h 5 m
- 1975
- R
- 2 h 5 m
Summary A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation; it turns into a hostage situation and a media circus.
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Written By: Frank Pierson, P.F. Kluge, Thomas Moore, Leslie Waller
- 1975
- R
- 2 h 5 m
- 1975
- R
- 2 h 5 m
Dog Day Afternoon
8.5
Where to Watch
Summary A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation; it turns into a hostage situation and a media circus.
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Written By: Frank Pierson, P.F. Kluge, Thomas Moore, Leslie Waller
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
86
93% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
7% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
86
93% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
7% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
One of the best 'New York' movies ever made.
The film's tone is extraordinarily flexible, holding within the same reality elements of the absurd, the ridiculous and the comic while sustaining a sense of tension and dread throughout. This is, of course, one of the classic Pacino roles - he's so appealing - but don't overlook the late John Cazale as his accomplice, who gives us a character who's stupid and scared, troubled and dangerous, and disturbingly inscrutable.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 100 User Ratings
8.5
94% Positive
94 Ratings
94 Ratings
5% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
1% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 100 User Ratings
8.5
94% Positive
94 Ratings
94 Ratings
5% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
1% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
The movie doesn't even need to show a background story for Sonny (or John Wojtowicz, the real person name), the movie just get straight to it, and that's a very very right decision to do, it's perfect, so do the actor, the performance, the story, everything, Dog Day Afternoon is an exciting and yet a very intense must watch true story film.
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It is an intense character study on the effects of heavy mental stress.
Director Sidney Lumet brilliantly uses all aspects of the few locations to capture the turmoils of all the characters involved. This study is highlighted all the more by one of Al Pacino's best performances alongside that of the under-appreciated Joe Casale.
Given the year of 1975 that this film was made, as well as being based off of a true news article in 1972, the film can be interpreted as a post-Vietnam whiplash effect on the American public (particularly the youth).
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Dog Day Afternoon is a frank social melodrama that’s also a celebration of quotidian bravery. The camera might linger on guns and barely restrained violence, but it also dwells upon the love and the support that’s extended in the weirdest and most unexpected of places.
For all of its social, political and cinematic significance, Dog Day Afternoon is a terrifically entertaining and emotionally devastating film to boot.
Lumet is exploring the clichés, not just using them. And he has a good feel for the big-city crowd that's quickly drawn to the action.
The film's strength lies in its depiction of surfaces, lacking the visual or intellectual imagination to go beyond its shrewd social and psychological observations and its moments of absurdist humour.
Enjoyable and even exciting at the start, Dog Day Afternoon degenerates into frustration and tedium toward nightfall—an experience no less painful for the audience than for the actors.
Although it is not intended, the movie was so funny to me, like a satire. But the movie is also a good thriller and the characters are well written. Pacino is outstanding.
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Inspired on true life events, about how a failed bank robbery became a massive show and, one of the enforcers, a local hero for the underdogs and the LBGT community. This one of the early efforts of Al Pacino, and sited him under the spotlight forever and ever. An essential of 70s. Recommendable for the COVID quarantine.
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LIFF32 (2018) #3
“Kiss me. When I'm being f**ked, I like to get kissed a lot.”
Dog Day Afternoon is a fantastic 'bank robbery gone wrong' movie, but becomes so much more than that.
I’ve been planning on watching this movie for awhile, but failed each time. Now it makes me appreciate my patience after finally checking it out at LIFF (Leeds International Film Festival). Seeing this on a big screen rather than a small one made the experience even more special.
The run time of two hours and 30 minutes, which is crazy because none of it dragged. I loved every minute of it. I was surprised how comedic it is, as I originally expected it to be a crime drama. It's hilarious seeing the hostages who were scared at first, but eventually got so comfortable around the robbers, they toy with their semi-auto rimfire rifles. Even ordering pizza and sodas, and Sonny (Pacino) pays for it with bank money.
Al Pacino is one of the all time greats. His voice, facial tics, walk, hunch, accent, etc. There’s so much to pick up on his performance. He’s better than sex. John Cazale is a national treasure and left us way too soon. The chemistry between Sonny and Sal is dynamic. Sidney Lumet directing captives the entire event and makes it absolutely gripping, especially the climax which had me on edge.
Pacino is fire. Cazale is holy. Sidney is god.
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Near perfect direction and near perfect acting. Most real characters I’ve seen in a movie in a long time. Definitely a must watch
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Un film qui aurait pu et qui aurait même dû se révéler intéressant, au moins pour la prestation exceptionnelle d’Al Pacino dans le rôle du « gentil » braqueur accompagné d’un demeuré un brin paranoïaque et très prévisible… ce qui constitue d’ailleurs le point faible (parmi d’autres) d’un film extrêmement lent et poussif : tout y devient rapidement prévisible et sans surprise.
On doit également se taper toute une mélasse sociale fort peu crédible et définitivement balourde dont on a du mal à se sortir… Difficile de rester réveillé en effet devant cette chienlit réalisée par Sidney « deux de tension » Lumet : absolument imparable pour la sieste du dimanche après-midi, il peut remplacer Drucker au pied levé (s’il arrive à mettre un pied devant l’autre en tant que metteur en scène comateux, cela va de soi). Dans ces conditions exécrables, tous les efforts d’Al Pacino sont réduits à néant, de quoi être furax.
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Production Company
Warner Bros.,
Artists Entertainment Complex
Release Date Dec 25, 1975
Duration 2 h 5 m
Rating R
Tagline Nobody could dream him up. His incredible bank robbery is all the more bizarre...because it's true.
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 7 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 6 Nominations
BAFTA Awards
• 2 Wins & 6 Nominations
