Sidney Lumet’s Serpico is an exemplar of a certain brand of character-based social realism that Hollywood excelled at in the 1970s, as well as an essential time capsule of New York City during the same period. Eschewing the backstory of detective Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) and keeping things firmly anchored in his time with the NYPD, the film builds character less by regurgitating facts and events than through gritty verisimilitude. This enlivens the clashes that arise from Frank’s offbeat humor, counterculture-friendly fashion sense, and unwavering morality as he butts heads with institutional powers that value conformity and blind allegiance above all else.
The conflicts that Frank finds himself involved in begin small, like when he refuses the offer for free creamed chicken at a local diner and instead orders a roast beef sandwich, much to the chagrin of both the owner and Frank’s partner (Al Henderson), who...
The conflicts that Frank finds himself involved in begin small, like when he refuses the offer for free creamed chicken at a local diner and instead orders a roast beef sandwich, much to the chagrin of both the owner and Frank’s partner (Al Henderson), who...
- 5/7/2023
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
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