(Source-Tony-Montana-Villains-Wiki-Fandom)
Al Pacino. Need we say more? Of course not. The Godfather. The legend. The man behind some of the most legendary movies of all time. He is regarded as one of the very best in cinematic history. The journey he has been through is incredible. The films which came to his share are some of the best films ever created and he, of course, did justice to every character he played. A nine-time Oscar nominee and also Academy Award winner with a career of more than 50 years.
From Scarface to Scent of a Woman, the variety of movies he has acted in is humongous. The limitless ability to mold into characters and give out the best performances is remarkable.
Out of the many hits, we’ve managed to chart out the top 10 Al Pacino movies of all time:
1. The Godfather (all parts)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
The Godfather is the classic mixture of crime and family drama at the same time. A cinematic masterpiece, it introduces the Corleone family in style. Marlon Brando does all he can to take care of the business side of his family. Al Pacino is a supporting character who ends up being the head of the family. Though an old one, the movie still depicts his best acting to date. In the list of Al Pacino movies, this has to be on the top.
Fact Check: Pacino’s grandparents came to the United States from Corleone, Sicily- so did his Godfather character Michael Corleone’s father, Vito.
2. Scent of a Woman (1992)
Director: Martin Brest
Run time: 2h 36m
Throughout his victorious journey, Al Pacino got only a single Oscar award, which was for his film Scent of a Woman. In the movie, he plays a retired U.S. Army officer who is also blind. The movie revolves around the organic bond that forms between him and a college-going student, played by Chris O’Donnell, who takes up a temporary job as a caregiver. A compelling drama film worth watching for the fact that it’s Pacino’s Oscar win.
3. The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
Director: Jerry Schatzberg
Run Time: 1h 50m
The movie revolves around the struggle of a young couple based in New York City who are both addicted to heroin. It is a love story but simultaneously it’s a very serious and dramatic one. It may not necessarily feel romantic. The movie holds up as an intense outlook on severe addiction issues. Right from the start of his career, Al Pacino’s movies have been stellar.
Fact Check: Before the acting bug bit him, Pacino wanted to be a baseball player.
4. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Run Time: 2h 40m
Though a fairly small role, between a cameo and a supporting role, it is still a great movie. As the director Quentin Tarantino plans to retire soon, it’s marvelous that these two got to work with one another within the American film industry. Pacino’s scenes are entertaining to watch and the movie as a whole is a wonderful depiction of Hollywood. Also, the last half hour of the movie turns into something of a fairy tale, a graphically violent one.
5. Donnie Brasco (1997)
Director: Mike Newell
Run Time: 2h 7m
Crime seems to be Pacino’s favorite genre, as he seems the most comfortable when he is in such movies. He is the best when it comes to playing gangsters or criminals in general. He plays a member of the gang in this one. He befriends an undercover FBI agent played by Johnny Depp. The drama of the film revolves around how this agent becomes conflicted over what to do after he takes a liking to the mob lifestyle. Al Pacino movies have failed very rarely.
Fact Check: There are reports that the actor suffered from Chronic Insomnia due to professional and personal reasons.
6. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Director: James Foley
Run Time: 1h 40m
One of the best movies of the 1990s, Glengarry Glen Ross is a movie wherein men are howling at each other for about two hours, but in an enthralling way. It is a movie that has a bunch of talented stars, which means Al Pacino doesn’t stand out quite as much. It is a compelling dialogue-heavy movie like the trend that prevailed in the past decades.
7. Serpico (1973)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Run Time: 2h
Al Pacino has starred in a series of absolutely exemplary films throughout the 1970s, and Serpico is one of them. It is a real-life story of Frank Serpico, a New York City cop who became famous as he stood up for the prevailing corruption in his line of work. Doing so puts him in immense physical danger in the film. As always, Pacino is completely drowned in the role. The filmmaking process makes Serpico look realistic and it emerges as one of the grittiest crime/drama movies of the decade. Real-life stories depicted in Al Pacino movies seem to the story is about himself, and doesn’t seem like a real-life character.
Fact Check: Except for director, Francis Coppola, no one in the unit wanted Pacino to be in the film, including himself.
8. The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Director: Taylor Hackford
Run Time: 2h 24m
Few movies of Al Pacino come across as explosive performances given by Al Pacino. This movie does just this, as Pacino gets to play a scary and evil antagonist and is having a blast doing so. In the movie, he owns a law firm in New York City and the character of Keanu Reeves grasps real quickly. She learns firsthand what the boss is capable of. The movie has elements of supernatural horror and law-related drama to add to the effect.
9. The Irishman (2019)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Run Time: 3h 29m
The Irishman was something of a mixed blessing. It can’t get better than the advertised trio of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. Later confirmed, that this was their last project together. The Irishman follows the true story of Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), a trainer trade unionist, and his bodyguard Frank Sheeran (De Niro). Due to the casting, it is counted as one of the best Al Pacino movies.
10. The Insider (1999)
Director: Michael Mann
Run Time: 2h 37m
Al Pacino and Russell Crowe had come together for this phenomenal semi-fictionalized drama. The movie centered on the real story of Jeffery Wigand, a tobacco industry infiltrator. Al Pacino’s depiction of CBS producer Lowell Bergman is as authentic as it is genuine. The Insider remains as stirring as it was 24 years ago. It wins at the core values of journalistic integrity by separating fact from fiction, no exception in Al Pacino movies.
Conclusion:
The audience that has witnessed Al Pacino movies has been loyal to him. Pacino has been successful in pushing his boundaries by opting for various genres of films. As mentioned before, he is the best when the crime genre exists. He gets into the skin of the character well. The grappling thrillers to intense dramas, he has demonstrated a remarkable range. Beyond movies, he has also made significant contributions to the world of theatre. He has received immense recognition for his performances in both classic and contemporary stage productions.
