Dog Day Afternoon

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Dog Day Afternoon

R

Released Sep 21, 1975

2h 10m

Crime

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

117 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) leads a bank robbery in Brooklyn, things quickly go wrong, and a hostage situation develops. As Sonny and his accomplice, Sal Naturile (John Cazale), try desperately to remain in control, a media circus develops and the FBI arrives, creating even more tension. Gradually, Sonny's surprising motivations behind the robbery are revealed, and his standoff with law enforcement moves toward its inevitable end.

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Critics Consensus

Framed by great work from director Sidney Lumet and fueled by a gripping performance from Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon offers a finely detailed snapshot of people in crisis with tension-soaked drama shaded in black humor.

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Apr 7, 2024

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Michael Blowen

Boston Globe

Pacino's inner alienation transforms this film into something far beyond a simple historical recreation of an "actual" event.

Apr 7, 2024

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

One of the best "New York" movies ever made.

Apr 7, 2024

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Martin Carr

CBR

Dog Day Afternoon may throw calculated criticisms at the invasive nature of television media and explore the nature of criminality, but remains a perfect example of cutting-edge '70s cinema for those who want to be reminded.

Rated: 9/10

Nov 23, 2024

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Bill Morrison

News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

What starts as a very funny movie -- on the order of a realistic escapade involving the Keystone Kops -- evolves into a very sobering drama.

Apr 10, 2024

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Todd Gilchrist

IGN Movies

[Pacino's] performance here is spectacular, and achieves a kind of nuance and complexity that few actors from his or any other generation have before or since achieved.

Rated: 8/10

Apr 7, 2024

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chris h

70s bank robbery masterpiece

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/05/25

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Vaughn M.

I throughly enjoyed this movie, the story is very good even though it is true. Sometimes I feel as if true stories can sometimes limit movies but I did not feel that way with this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/30/25

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Ari S

this film still holds up

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/30/25

Full Review

Julian S

The cast, led by Pacino, brings a fierce commitment that makes DOG DAY AFTERNOON pulse with raw energy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/13/25

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Stephen C

Success in 2 1/6 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/08/25

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Audience Member

Its 2025 and the first time I've ever attempted to watch this movie. Its bad. Terrible acting and just a mess of a movie. Is it a comedy? Seems so. Almost like a parody of a parody. Bad.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

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Sidney Lumet

Director

Al Pacino

Sonny Wortzik

John Cazale

Salvatore

Charles Durning

Eugene Moretti

Chris Sarandon

Leon Shermer

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Synopsis

When inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) leads a bank robbery in Brooklyn, things quickly go wrong, and a hostage situation develops. As Sonny and his accomplice, Sal Naturile (John Cazale), try desperately to remain in control, a media circus develops and the FBI arrives, creating even more tension. Gradually, Sonny's surprising motivations behind the robbery are revealed, and his standoff with law enforcement moves toward its inevitable end.

Director: Sidney Lumet
Producer: Martin Bregman, Martin Elfand
Screenwriter: Frank Pierson
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Artists Entertainment Complex
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 1975, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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