Written by: Waldo Salt & Norman Wexler
Starring: Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire, Barbara Eda-Young
Rating: [4/5]
Battling corruption comes with a sense of nobility with good reason as it aligns with a level of integrity everyone should aspire to maintain. However, in practice, where many benefit from the said corruption, it makes this bravery incredibly dangerous as famously seen in many police departments and in Serpico. As a result, we get a film built to infuriate and inspire in equal measures with tremendous effect.
Optimistically entering the workforce as a police officer, Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) aims to make some positive change in the community but learns about the culture of accepting bribes amongst the officers. Intent to bring accountability to this illicit practice, he must contend with the consequences of those adamant about stopping him.
Police departments and corruption go together like rice and beans as evidenced by entertainment and real life and it makes sense. You have individuals who make a decent salary but not enough when living in some high-cost-of-living areas to afford a life of luxury and now they get the opportunity to receive additional income for actions as effortless as ignoring crime happening around them. It becomes a win-win for those entrusted with upholding the law and those wishing to make money from illegal activities. This collision course makes for quite the underdog story but allows the titular character to demonstrate a level of bravery not many would display.
If we’re being honest, the level of integrity displayed by Serpico is not something I would replicate if put in the situation. One of those circumstances where everyone would say they would do the right thing but when faced with the threat Serpico faces, it would be easier to stay silent and even go along with everything happening. It can be described as peer pressure but one where you could die as a result and the height this corruption leads up to will horrify but very much makes the point of how dire Serpico’s situation becomes and what he must endure if he plans to even survive.
As the situation before him continues to heat up, it makes for a narrative that delivers several emotions for the viewer. Of the many, some that prevail are anger and fear. Anger for the horrific corruption going unchecked even with Serpico doing his very best to shed light on it and fear for the repercussions he will face because of his willingness to do the right thing in this situation. At every step, you build up the sense of hope that he has found the right avenue only to find yet another obstacle set before him where you begin to build the same level of paranoia he does as it becomes harder to trust others around him. All of it gets balanced so well and it comes as no surprise Sidney Lumet excelled in crafting it.
A filmmaker who has crafted some of the greatest American films in history and still does not receive all of the plaudits he deserved, he takes his turn at a cop drama and absolutely shines in how he crafts this feature and all of the emotions that go into putting together a story of this magnitude. He knows how to capture the feel of New York as he builds the consistent tension of this feature until it reaches a boiling point where Serpico takes on those wishing him harm head-on. Lumet never misses his feature films and he proves to be in full control here as he meticulously lays out all of the avenues available to Serpico and how deep this corruption goes to an insurmountable degree. As a filmmaker who enjoys looking at the criminal justice system in various forms as seen in his other films, no other director had more skill to tell this story and he certainly does an exceptional job here.
It also helps when you have an actor like Al Pacino leading your film, especially when you have a Pacino at the height of his powers in the 1970s. Seriously, looking at his filmography in this decade and finding anyone who had a better run will prove a difficult task. He brings his typical boisterous self to the role to capture the fiery nature of Serpico while also navigating those deep looks he has become famous for. One of his finer performances as a whole in a truly legendary career.
Through all of the drama and excellent storytelling, Serpico ultimately becomes about the battle between an individual of whether he will keep his integrity and endure hardship or abandon what makes him who he is and live a more comfortable life. This arduous journey makes for a riveting story and one that shows Sidney Lumet delivering yet another banger and allowing Al Pacino to shine as he usually does when he gets a role he deems worth the effort. He certainly ate it up here and it all makes for something iconic and one of the better films of the cop drama genre.
Films with Josh 
