Serpico

Serpico (1973)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Al Pacino, Tony Roberts, Tom Kehoe, John Randolph
Memorable: "Let's face it, who can trust a cop that won't take money?"

What would you do if you wanted to just be an honest cop but discovered that just about every cop around you is on the take?

Serpico follows the life of cop, Frank Serpico (Pacino), as he starts as an idealistic rookie and carries that idealism throughout his career. This idealism gets him into a great deal of trouble as he comes to odds with a corrupt contingent of cops and ultimately, almost gets him killed. From precinct to precinct, Serpico finds cops on the take and when he says he will not "play," he is treated both as an outsider and an enemy. His only allies are a politically adept cop friend (Roberts) and one honest cop he encounters later in his career. After many attempts to report the corruption, he decides to go public. That's when he faces the an ultimate reprisal from the men in blue.

More character study than action film, there still enough here for those who want some action. For the most part, this is Pacino's movie because he is in nearly every scene and he acquits himself quite well. Pacino gives us Serpico's passion, his anxieties, and his short comings. The most prevalent emotion you feel from Pacino's portrayal is frustration. Utter frustration that he can't be what he wants to be -- an honest cop. The supporting cast comes across as authentic and competent. You actually believe some of these guys are real cops.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Serpico has a even and deliberate pace. The film starts with a literal bang and then Lumet slows it down to backtrack to Serpico's entry into the force and tracks his career as he encounters bad cops and butts heads with authority along the way. Lumet is never showy, letting technique get in front of the story. Most of the time, it's the character's that tell the story in Serpico.

As with almost all of Lumet's movies, this is a thoughtful and provocative film. At points, you'll catch yourself sharing Serpico's frustration and wonder how the corruption became so rampant and how it could ever be stopped. It seems as if the cops in the movie have a greater incentive to get money through corruption, than through their jobs. If you're ready for a contemplative and engaging cop/character study, Serpico is the film for you.