Serpico

Serpico (1973)

  • 90% of critics liked it
    (39 reviews)

  • 85% of users liked it
    (49,265 ratings)

Adapted by Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler from Peter Maas's book, Sidney Lumet's drama portrays the real-life struggle of an honest New York City cop against a corrupt system. Neophyte officer Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) is determined not to let his job get in the way of his individuality. Despite his… More

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R, 2 hr. 9 min.
Directed By
Sidney Lumet
Written By
Peter Maas, Waldo Salt, Norman Wexler
Genres
Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics
In Theaters
Dec 5, 1973 Limited
On DVD
Dec 3, 2002
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Jay Cocks, TIME Magazine

    Wonderful potential, and wasted. Serpico has some brutal surface flash and an acetylene performance by Al Pacino in the title role, but its energy is used to dodge all the questions it should have raised and answered.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Sidney Lumet's direction adeptly combines gritty action and thought-provoking comment.

  • Don Druker, Chicago Reader

    A virtuoso performance by Al Pacino and some expert location work by Sidney Lumet add up to a tour de force genre piece that transcends the supercop conventions to create a moving, engrossing portrait of Frank Serpico.

  • Benjamin Strong, Village Voice

    Lumet's biopic of Frank Serpico, the virtuous cop who exposed a network of graft in the NYPD, feels depressingly relevant.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    A remarkable record of one man's rebellion against the sort of sleaziness and second-rateness that has affected so much American life, from the ingredients of its hamburgers to the ethics of its civil servants and politicians.

Read all 20 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Coxxie M


    My favorite Al Pacino movies will always be "88 Minutes" and a "Righteous Kill", followed by "Jack and Jill." But this one sure comes close! didn't he play in some big gangster movie as well?

  • AJ V


    My favourite movie about a cop who fights against the corruption in his department, Pacino is fantastic in this movie. Plus, it's based on a true story, which makes it cooler. I highly recommend this movie.

  • Dan S


    A brave, unflinching look at police corruption, powered by an electrifying Al Pacino portraying Frank Serpico and how he stood above his fellow officers. Although the film is dated (seen in the opening when Serpico suffers a wound to his face and it rewinds back - back when this movie… More

  • Lorenzo v


    <i>"Say it isn't so, Serpico."</i> The true story about an honest New York cop who blew the whistle on rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More

  • First L


    A cop gets shot, the police are taking him to the hospital. "Guess who's been shot?" says the cop calling it in. Everyone knows it's Serpico. It's been expected ("I know at least 3 cops who would've liked to have shot him" says one of the… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

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Trailers & Clips

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