Dog Day Afternoon

The story of a failed bank robbery. Lumet's grotesque heroes set out to rob a bank without actually knowing what they are doing. On a blisteringly warm day, the duo gets stuck with hostages without knowing what to do with them, as the bank is surrounded by the police force, bloodthirsty mobs, and the media. The simultaneously crazy and shocking story of the ridiculous pair of robbers, Sidney Lumet's ability to setup fast-paced scenes and skillfully arrange them together, the acting chops of the young Al Pacino, and the pathos mixed with humor, have all contributed to making Dog Day Afternoon into one of best films of the 1970s.