Serpico (1973), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino (VIDEO)

Watch the trailer for Serpico, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino; No. 22 on our list of the 100 best New York movies.

By Joshua Rothkopf Tue Jul 3 2012

New York movies: Serpico (1973)

Can a hero survive NYC’s mean streets? Just barely, as Sidney Lumet’s crime classic—based on the tragic real story of uncorrupted cop Frank Serpico—depicts. Fulsome in his righteous rage, Al Pacino uncorked a signature performance, torn between do-gooder zeal and go-it-alone anxiety. Shooting in every borough except Staten Island, the film is a near-complete portrait of the city at its grimiest.—Joshua Rothkopf

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