The Director's Series: Sidney Lumet, No. 4


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

Serpico (1973)
Starring: Al Pacino, John Randolph, and Jack Kehoe
Director: Sidney Lumet
About: Lumet had a great partnership with Pacino over the course of a few films in the 1970s. One of those is Serpico, which is based on a true story. It finds Pacino as an honest cop in a corrupt department in New York City. It's a massive undertaking and a great performance from Pacino. It's one of those movies that pulls you in and takes you on a ride. I enjoyed a lot of Lumet's work during the 1970s, and several of those films are on this list. I also really enjoyed his partnership with Pacino in some incredible films based on true stories. If you haven't seen this, it's worth seeking out for its story and craft.

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