Serpico (1973)

Serpico is a gripping biographical drama about Frank Serpico, an idealistic New York police officer in the late 1960s and early 1970s who refuses to take part in the widespread graft and extortion practiced by his colleagues. As he blows the whistle and pushes for accountability, he becomes increasingly isolated, threatened and betrayed by the very people he’s supposed to trust. The story builds to a violent turning point—a drug bust where Serpico is left exposed and shot—and to his courageous testimony that helps spark the Knapp Commission’s investigation into police corruption. Watching the film, you’ll experience a raw, tense portrait of a man at odds with a corrupt institution: street-level sting operations and undercover work, stark depictions of moral compromise, and the slow, painful toll that integrity exacts. The atmosphere is gritty and period-specific, with a steady undercurrent of danger and paranoia that keeps the suspense tight while emphasizing emotional isolation and principled stubbornness. Ultimately Serpico is both a character study and a social drama: compelling, unsettling and thought-provoking. It asks what one person can do against systemic wrongdoing and leaves viewers moved by the cost of doing the right thing.

Actors: Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe

Director: Sidney Lumet

Runtime: 130 min

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

7.4 /10 83 /100 7.7 /10 7.8 /10