Movie Review- Dog Day Afternoon

Originally written 1/6/16

            I know Dog Day Afternoon is a classic, but I could just not get in to it. It was really well-made and well-acted, there is no denying that. This was just not my cup of tea. I am not a big dramatic films that glorified showcases for actors. I can tell bad acting from good acting, but I cannot tell good acting from Oscar-worthy acting. Most of Pacino's scenes feel like they are there to let him show off his acting skills, rather than because they were completely necessary to the story. It feels forced. The ending is predictable if you know anything about how hostage situations always turn out, or if you were at all familiar with the real-life events on which this film is based, but there is still enough suspense to be engaging.

            I think the film feels dated, too. Pacino uses the civil unrest of the time to rally the crowd into thinking he is some sort of counterculture hero. I think the unrest that he was tapping into probably had more relevance in 1976 than it does forty-one years later, like when Pacino starts screaming "Attica!" to fire up the onlookers. I had to pause the movie and Google what he was referring to. On the plus side, the movie is gorgeously gritty-looking. I love the look of gritty urban 70's-80's films, so if that particular look appeals to you, Dog Day Afternoon has plenty of excellent scenery.