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The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

When this movie came out in 1973, I was 13 years old. I saw it when it was first released and I've seen it several times since. Growing up in Queens NY and being the son of a NYPD Police Officer, the movie has always hit close to home, as my father was "on the job" during Serpico's tenure, and regularly confided in my mother the concerns he had working in "plain" clothes. Serpico's story is a one that needs to be told and retold as it is about the individual goodness of humanity, and the difficulties of maintaining your innocence in a corrupt organization. It should also serve as a chilling reminder, that those who are supposed to serve and protect, do not always carryout that function per their oaths and should be held accountable. Having spent a lot of time with NYPD cops when I was young, I can say that the performances, mannerism, behaviors and attitudes depicted by the cast were par for the course for cops of that era. Pacino is fantastic and plays the part flawlessly. People will be watching this classic for years to come.

I've never seen the Godfather (I know, I'm a terrible person) so this is really the first movie where I've been absolutely blown away by the performance of Al Pacino; this one's definitely Oscar-worthy. The entirety of the Serpico character and his story had me fully engrossed through this film. It doesn't feel dated at all! The score, the acting, the effects, all wonderful.And this is one of the few films that I've felt really captured the essence of a city in a certain time period absolutely perfectly. This was a dark time for NY and "Serpico" accurately reflects this through its grittiness.I love Lumet's direction in this one; all the different shots and on-sight scenes really cause the viewer to feel fully absorbed into the story, almost as if he or she is really there with Serpico. I love the strategy of using his growing facial hair as a way of showing the passing of time.I really can't say enough about this movie. Serpico is a fully-fleshed out protagonist that really makes the viewer sympathize with his plight in a corrupt society. This story feels oh too relevant over 40 years.

I see why this movie is good, and I see why it has such a relatively high score. I appreciate the superb acting by Al Pacino and his personal story. I really sympathize with the guy, but the movie didn't hit a homerun for me. Had it not been for the excellent character development and realistic storyline, I would have given it a 5.

Serpico is about police corruption. Usually when a film is made about police corruption it is always set years in the past. As if to convey a message that: 'We were bad then but we have cleaned up our act now, today we are different.'It is never the case. When the film Serpico was being made it was only a year after the real Frank Serpico resigned from the police force.Al Pacino gives a raw powerful performance as the keen, clean cut rookie policeman trying to resist the cancerous corruption rife in the police force where almost every officer is on the take and bending police procedures. His Serpico becomes a jaded, cantankerous long haired bearded hippy loner as in each turn the bureaucracy turns a blind eye to the corruption or is knee deep in it.Director Sidney Lumet built up a filmography that examined in depth police corruption and he shoots this movie in a street smart, earthy, edgy manner.Politicians here care more about public relations and soft soaping Serpico by telling him they are taking his allegations seriously, when they really want to sweep it under the carpet. Serpico becomes a pariah, a lone wolf knowing it is only a matter of time he will be hunted down by his fellow officers.This is one of the great cinema film of the 1970s. It still reaches out and grabs you. Pacino gives an honest performance helped because he met the real Serpico and knew he had to do his story justice. The film is not just about Pacino's performance. It is nothing without Lumet's busy direction and determination to bring corruption out in the open.