Prince of the City

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Sam N Sidney Lumet proves yet again he’s the king of New York City thrillers. Prince of the City is a gripping, slow-burn dive into police corruption, following Treat Williams as Daniel Ciello, a narcotics detective who turns informant—only to realise he’s over his head. Unlike Serpico, which digs deep into one man’s personal struggle, this plays out more like a meticulous police procedural, laying bare the tangled web of corruption, bureaucracy, and betrayal. Williams is phenomenal, shifting between cocky, paranoid, and completely unravelled as the pressure mounts. Nobody films New York like Lumet. The city isn’t just a backdrop; it’s alive—loud, chaotic, and pulsing with tension. From sweaty police offices to dimly lit bars and soulless courtrooms, every scene oozes authenticity. The slow-burn pacing pulls you deeper into Ciello’s world, where every decision feels like a trap. A relentless, nerve-wracking must-watch. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/21/25 Full Review Bahad j The movie was a very exciting adventure from start to finish Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/12/24 Full Review Alec B It may be a little too long with too many self important monologues but Treat Williams gives such an outstanding emotionally fraught performances that you'll forgive the flaws. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/09/24 Full Review Shioka O I know it's a good film, but it is lengthy. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/19/22 Full Review delysid d this is one of my new favorites of all time Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/17/21 Full Review Audience Member Sidney Lumet is well versed in corrupt police thrillers, he'd already directed Serpico (1973), arguably the Godfather of the sub-genre before he made Prince Of The City eight years later. He also went on to direct the Nick Nolte fronted Q&A in 1990 which I reviewed last year in a previous post. Although very highly thought of, yet difficult to get your hands on, Prince Of The City doesn't hit the heights of the films mentioned above, falling way short of Serpico especially. Although length is often preferable for a character arc of this kind, Prince Of The City begins with Detective Ciello agreeing to assist a special commission investigating police corruption. Approaching three hours, the film takes a long time to almost go from point A to point A, and you wish somewhat that you were able to see Ciello's initial indiscretions as part of the set up, instead of three hours of similar scenarios playing out. Although there are scenes of Ciello with his team together, we don't ever see the bond and trust between the team before Ciello turns rat, and that takes away a huge emotional connection for the viewer. Treat Williams' performance as Ciello is almost comically over the top at times, and although he is solid, there is more than one too many similar outbursts over his predicament. Prince Of The City is worth tracking down even if it's just to say that you managed to track it down, and Sidney Lumet's films are never dull, but Serpico is a much superior film if you fancy a bit of corruption by Lumet. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Prince of the City

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