From 12 Angry Men's examination of the heated deliberation of 12 anonymous jurors, to the intense interpersonal conflicts of a family in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, to the portrayal of a real-life bank robbery by a first-time criminal and his partner (both clearly experiencing mental and emotional meltdowns) in the film that is the topic of this post, Sidney Lumet's films all seem to share a distinct feature: a pervasive, overwhelming sense of tension. No matter the setting or time period (this must be the case seeing as his body of work spans more than 50 years), Lumet is a master of conveying emotionally charged conflicts with poignancy and, often, discomfort. His films also tackle contextual social issues, such as racism against criminals in the 1950's in 12 Angry Men, and homophobia and anti-war sentiment in the 1970's in Dog Day Afternoon. In this film, Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) and his friend Sal (John Cazale) rob a bank on a sweltering August day in Brooklyn, 1972. It soon turns into a hostage situation, followed by a media frenzy. As conflict builds between Sonny and the police, details of his past are revealed, giving insight into the reasons for his distress. The whole situation unravels with a remarkable sense of tension, as the heat is visually emphasized and the sounds of the city are able to prevail without a soundtrack. The movie is brilliantly shot, with a signature 70's look akin to The Godfather. Pacino's performance rivals DeNiro's in Taxi Driver for one of the best mental breakdowns on the big screen, and his famous improvised "ATTICA!" lines are an inspiring example of a supposed villain quickly turning into a sympathetic, heroic character. Though the events of movie are said to be much different from the real bank robbery, the basic details seem to be similar enough, and the film gives tons of contextual insight into 1970's New York society. Oh yeah, and nearly the entire film takes place in one building, similar to Lumet's first film 12 Angry Men. Hell, just watch it if you like a filmmaker who seems to get everything right in all of his work.
8.8/10
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