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Dog Day Afternoon

Play trailer Poster for Dog Day Afternoon R Released Sep 21, 1975 2h 10m Crime Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Pauline Kael The New Yorker One of the best "New York" movies ever made. Apr 7, 2024 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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chris h 70s bank robbery masterpiece Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/05/25 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Stephen C Success in 2 1/6 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/08/25 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Dog Day Afternoon

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Cast & Crew

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Sidney Lumet

Director

Al Pacino

Sonny Wortzik

John Cazale

Salvatore

Charles Durning

Eugene Moretti

Chris Sarandon

Leon Shermer

Sully Boyar

Mulvaney

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Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Dog Day Afternoon (1975) View more photos

Movie Info

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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