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Serpico

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Serpico

R

Released Dec 5, 1973

2h 9m

Crime

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

54 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) is an idealistic New York City cop who refuses to take bribes, unlike the rest of the force. His actions get Frank shunned by the other officers, and often placed in dangerous situations by his partners. When his superiors ignore Frank's accusations of corruption, he decides to go public with the allegations. Although this causes the Knapp Commission to investigate his claims, Frank has also placed a target on himself. The film is based on a true story.

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Critics Consensus

An engrossing, immediate depiction of early '70s New York, Serpico is elevated by Al Pacino's ferocious performance.

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Ed Potton

Times (UK)

... One of Hollywood’s most wince-inducing explorations of police corruption.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 18, 2023

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Sweat and grit and fear pulse off it like waves; and there are dynamic streetscape scenes.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 16, 2023

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Sidney Lumet directs with his customary verve and grit.

Jun 28, 2023

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Though Pacino delivers an iconic performance, the pacing here is largely off, as it builds, mostly suspense-free, to an ending that is already known - thanks to the opening moments.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 9, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

In the end the strengths of Lumet’s direction, Pacino’s performance, and Arthur J. Ornitz’s gritty cinematography are more than enough to get past the film’s handful of stumbles.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 24, 2023

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Lumet's film is a shaggy 130-minute biopic that seldom feels like a thriller, but whose unhurried pacing never feels slack, either.

Jun 12, 2023

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Rami A

Sidney Lumet's "Serpico" is a well-made film. It features some great acting from Al Pacino and strong plot points. Unfortunately, it falls flat in certain areas. The movie feels long and dragged out at many points. The story could have easily been trimmed down to an hour and 45 minutes at best. Additionally, this film lacks a clear indication of when events occur and how much time passes between each scene.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/19/25

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Yash B

"Serpico" mostly shines because of Al Pacino's great lead performance. The movie itself presents many interesting ideas, but somewhat iffy execution. I just found a lot of the movie to be a bit tedious to watch and think the whole package is just okay. I do think Pacino is giving it his all here and I can certainly see why it is one of his most famous performances. I can also see the topic of police corruption being timelessly important and this true story is certainly worth telling. Overall, it is a movie that is a bit messy in terms of pacing and storytelling, but it is still worth a watch because of Al Pacino's great efforts.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/09/25

Full Review

Fabrícia F

As tentativas de um policial de não sucumbir a corrupção do sistema, levanta discussões pertinentes sobre lealdade, solidão e valores morais. Um exemplo de coragem e resiliência que lhe custou renúncias muito mais difíceis.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

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Matis E

Good film. I found it a bit boring in the long run but the acting of Pacino makes it great and has great some great moments! Watch it

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/25

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Gina S

I do not understand the love for this movie. Yes, it exposes the corrupt NYPD, but it is so slow moving, and frankly, boring. And, whomever thinks the writing is good, I question their judgment. If you’re an Al Pacino fan, watch Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather, or The Godfather Part II.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/07/24

Full Review

Lester m

Fabulous script and acting. Based on the life of the real Frank Serpico.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/05/24

Full Review

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Sidney Lumet

Director

Al Pacino

Serpico

John Randolph

Chief Sidney Green

Jack Kehoe

Tom Keough

Biff McGuire

Capt. Insp. McClain

Barbara Eda-Young

Laurie

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Synopsis

Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) is an idealistic New York City cop who refuses to take bribes, unlike the rest of the force. His actions get Frank shunned by the other officers, and often placed in dangerous situations by his partners. When his superiors ignore Frank's accusations of corruption, he decides to go public with the allegations. Although this causes the Knapp Commission to investigate his claims, Frank has also placed a target on himself. The film is based on a true story.

Director: Sidney Lumet
Producer: Martin Bregman
Screenwriter: Waldo Salt, Norman Wexler
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Artists Entertainment Complex, Produzion De Laurentis
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Biography
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 1973, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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