Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon is the account of a robbery gone wrong in New York City on August 22, 1972.

Rookie bank robber Sonny Wortzik, played by Al Pacino, and his partner Sal, played by John Cazale, walk into a Brooklyn bank and upon finding out that the police were alerted to their presence, hold the employees hostage. This begins a standoff, full of twists and turns, which drags on well into the night.

Al Pacino's acting was excellent in this film. He played the part so accurately that the actual bank robber his character was based off of complimented him. Pacino put the exact right amount of intensity and emotion into the role.

The main drawback of this film was John Cazale's acting. His portrayal of Sal was lackluster and his character seemed to be in a perpetual state of shock. It was as if Sal had no ability to think for himself and was simply acting on knee-jerk, adrenaline-based decisions.

All in all, "Dog Day Afternoon" was a great film. It painted an excellent portrait of New York in the 1970s. For anyone feeling nostalgic, this would be a great choice.