Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»3153. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

    3153. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on November 15, 2020 120-129 mins, 1975, 6 - 7.9, Crime, Drama, Movies Of 2020, Nov 20, Review, Thriller, United States
    7.7 A clever spin on a classic story
    • Acting 7.9
    • Directing 7.6
    • Story 7.6
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Penelope Allen

    Director: Sidney Lumet

    Running Time: 124 mins


    Dog Day Afternoon is an American film about a trio of men who plan a robbery at a small Brooklyn bank, but their initially simple plan soon goes awry and spirals wildly out of control.

    Very much a film of two halves, Dog Day Afternoon starts off as a surprisingly fun crime thriller with a dark sense of humour, before later delving into a much more serious and audacious story with a significance that stretches far beyond the four walls of a bank under siege.

    Before we get into that, however, let’s talk about the performances here: all of which are absolutely fantastic. In the lead role, Al Pacino is amazing, proving a hugely likable and layered bank robber with absolutely no proficiency for the profession, while John Cazale impresses alongside him with a quiet but still captivating supporting performance.

    Meanwhile, secondary players including Penelope Allen, who plays one of the robbers’ hostages, as well as Charles Durning as the negotiator, prove spectacular alongside Pacino’s already fantastic leading performance, bringing wonderful energy to their characters that breaks all the tropes of the genre.

    What you have from the start, then, is a film about a bank robbery that’s nothing like what you’re used to. It gets underway very quickly, and looks set to finish within the first twenty minutes, before things start to gradually unravel.

    From the incompetence of the robbers to the darkly hilarious calmness and confidence of the hostages, knowing they’re protected by insurance, the normal nail-biting tension that you might expect from this kind of story isn’t what makes Dog Day Afternoon such a captivating watch.

    Rather, it’s a blend of what starts out as a darkly entertaining spin on the typical bank robbery story, with brilliantly-developed characters and emotional depth that bring a whole new level of drama to the table as the story progresses.

    Sidney Lumet doesn’t direct this movie with the breakneck pacing you might expect, and although there are moments where Dog Day Afternoon can drag, there are also times when that slower, patient approach works wonders for the film’s most serious and powerful scenes.

    Spiralling wildly out of control, Lumet soon turns the botched bank robbery into an ingenious microcosm of modern society, delving deep into the fears and troubles of all characters – on both sides of the law – with a captivating and enjoyable anti-establishment streak.

    I wouldn’t wish to spoil anything for you, but suffice to say that Dog Day Afternoon does not unfold like the bank robbery and hostage negotiation story you’re expecting. It may look like one on the outside, but there’s far more at play under the surface, and Lumet makes it a fascinating watch from start to finish.

    So, with fantastic performances across the board, great directing, gripping drama, a dark sense of humour and a clever spin on a classic story, Dog Day Afternoon is a brilliant watch throughout, and far more than just another bank robbery. That’s why I’m giving it a 7.7 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.0
    Review
    September 20, 20130

    290. Con Air (1997)

    8.4
    Review
    August 1, 20160

    1438. Harold And Maude (1971)

    8.1
    Review
    April 6, 20130

    113. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

    8.3
    Review
    December 30, 20150

    1199. Ben-Hur (1959)

    8.5
    Review
    October 4, 20200

    3110. Eternal Beauty (2020)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.