The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

How familiar are audiences with bank robberies in cinema? This seems like such a timeless subject because they have been present since early cinema. Heists are a cinema foundation all the way back to such films as The Great Train Robbery. But audiences have seen endless bank robberies in films from The Dark Knight to Heat to Inside Man to Bonnie & Clyde. But every so often, a film comes around that turns a standard cinematic trope on its head. A filmmaker like Sidney Lumet would be someone you would expect such a cinematic effort from as he fully understood humanity and found ways to explore the complexities of the human condition. The special bank heist film came out in 1975 and became a fixture of the 70s oeuvre of cinema…Dog Day Afternoon.

What makes this film feel so interesting and different? This film tackles some seriously unexpected elements for a film that came out 50 years ago. The motivations for our lead robber, Sonny (Al Pacino), is a shock as this is a Vietnam veteran who is stealing money to get his wife (Chris Sarandon) the gender affirming surgery to reflect her female gender. In the climate we are experiencing in 2025, this is wild that such a genre would tackle such sensitive and taboo topics for the more conservative climate in the United States. But there are other unexpected thematic elements that are explored in this layered bank robbery film. The way that Sonny becomes a beacon of freedom and revolution to the populace around this bank is fascinating. The protestors pour in and get a front row seat of this demonstration against authority that Sonny soon embraces (“Attica! Attica! Attica!” …such a poignant reference). Then there are the layers of dynamics that are explored amongst the female tellers and employees of this bank. The likes of Carol Kane fill out this bank ensemble and the way the film navigates their working conditions just adds even more to chew on in this dense and dynamic film.

How does this classic film subvert the tropes of this heist genre? You expect one type of film with confrontation between the robbers and the police in such a situation. You expect things to become violent and shootouts. But that is not what Lumet is interested in focusing on in this film. The key conflict is this push-and-pull of Pacino’s Sonny and the police negotiator played by Charles Durning. There are some intriguing dynamics with the dance between these characters. The police and Sonny are playing a chess game and they each have their gambits along the way. This film even starts with such an interesting choice to have one of the members of the crew ditching them at the beginning of the film. This film drops you right into the action of the heist without any of the set-up but effectively slides into context and layers throughout this quality script. The dynamic between Sonny and Sal (John Cazale) is complex as they have differing perspectives on handling the situation. This film has you engaged and connected all the way up to its shocking finale.

This is a 70s film and what is the element that makes it feel so raw? This cast is amazing. Pacino…he is such a legend. Pacino brings that energy that we love from him as he screams and churns the tide of the crowd outside. When he gets on the phone with his loved ones, you feel the struggle and all the emotion that he pours out in those moments. Sonny is frustrating and empathetic and Pacino channels all those complexities into a dynamic and engaging performance. Cazale offers up a more intense and dangerous character than any other of his few performances. His dynamic with Pacino works so well for the film. Durning is a charismatic and compelling character as the police negotiator which makes for more compelling elements throughout the film. Sarandon is not in the film much but when he is, he is completely committed to this performance as Sonny’s wife. Emotive, complex, and dynamic, his moments communicating with Pacino are some of the best moments in the film. There are plenty of strong supporting performances in minor roles throughout the film that makes this film feel so rich, authentic, and layered.

Do you want to experience what a “1970s film” really feels like? Check out this gem. The drama, humor, and thrills mix perfectly together to create a dynamic experience. Lumet directs this film with all his energy, and you can feel that onscreen. Pacino offers up one of his truly great performances that is part of his legendary run through The Godfather, Serpico, and The Godfather Part II. This leaves you with a unique and engrossing twist to a type of film we all have experienced and that is always something special.

Dog Day Afternoon is streaming on Paramount+.