'Dog Day Afternoon' tells the true story of Sonny (Al Pacino) and Sal (John Cazale). These two guys went into a bank in 1972 in Brooklyn to rob it. They could have been out in five minuted but things went terribly wrong. Instead of a robbery it became a hostage situation. And a media circus as well.

From the first second you will be totally in the movie. Afterwards I wanted to write my review and I was not able to remember how the music was, if there was any. It says something about how much the movie grabs you. The first part is very funny, I laughed a lot of times. The second part is more a drama and a thriller. Great director Sidney Lumet creates a certain atmosphere for the movie that is just right. Pacino in one of his best performances is surrounded by a great supporting cast. He was nominated for an Oscar but didn't win it. He lost it to a guy named Jack Nicholson in a movie called 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest'. The chances were probably fifty-fifty and the Oscar went to the better movie, I have to admit that. Still, one of the best performances I have ever seen. With any other actor this movie was a nice one, with him it is a great one.

I think that this film is a bit overrated (I would never place this within the top 250 films ever made and I know it is a critical favorite),though it still is a very good film. That's because it gives such a gritty and realistic portrait of a bank robbery gone bad and is totally unlike any cops and robbers film made before or sense. Part of this gritty realism is the amazingly "colorful" dialog. You'd never expect to hear this many f-words used in a film back in 1975. I didn't love this, but understand that real criminals in such a situation would probably not worry about offending people with their use of expletives--so I can't fault this either.

While I often give longer reviews, there are frankly so many good reviews for this film already as well as synopses of the film--so I won't bore you with these details. Instead, I will point out that this largely improvised film worked well due to excellent direction and acting. I have no complaints at all but also didn't see the film as THAT exceptional. Sure, it was a very, very good film but not one that I would put in the category of MUST SEE.

If you haven't guessed, this is NOT a movie for kids but for mature adults who can handle the subject matter and aren't turned off by the realism, then it's an excellent and worthwhile film.

Dog Day Afternoon had all the ingredients for at least a great movie. There's Al Pacino, a wonderful actor who has given some fine performances, and there's also Sidney Lumet, who directed 12 Angry Men and Network, which are brilliant movies. Dog Day Afternoon lived up to that and more, almost certainly one of the best heist movies out there. The script is excellent, the story is compelling even with some slow spots which I actually didn't mind and Lumet's direction is superb.

The cinematography and editing are also top drawer and the sound is just great. I have little to criticise the acting about either, Al Pacino gives yet another wonderful performance that is also quite multi-layered, while John Cazale and Charles Dunning give fine support.

All in all, an excellent film and some of the best work of a fine director and actor. 10/10 Bethany Cox