Even as he continues to do great work, Al Pacino is already a legend. He’s played a number of iconic characters and proven over and over again that he’s one of the defining actors of his generation. In his early roles, Pacino exerted effortless charisma whether he was playing sympathetic criminals or merciless crime lords (he’s played a lot of criminals). As his career continued, Pacino became known for delivering hammy, tuned-up performances, and he certainly did that on occasion.
Even so, the latter part of Pacino’s career has served up some of his best work, and it’s given him the chance to work with a number of legendary directors. Pacino is still one of the great actors of his generation, and his work continues to prove that. You may have a preference for early or late Pacino, but there’s plenty of work to be admired in both periods.
The Godfather (1972)
Scarface (1983)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
The Insider (1999)
Heat (1995)
The Irishman (2019)
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Insomnia (2002)
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