58 Al Pacino Movies, Ranked Best to Worst

Michael Corleone returns from WWII as a decorated war hero and is reluctant to enter the family business headed by his father Vito Corleone, a powerful New York mafia boss. However, after his aging father clashes with a treacherous rival for denying assistance regarding a drug deal, Michael is dragged into a mob war that tears his family apart.

Both a prequel and a sequel to the widely acclaimed crime film The Godfather, it continues the story of Michael Corleone as he survives several misfortunes while expanding the family business, and puts it in contrast to the early struggles of his father, Vito Corleone, recording his introduction into a life of crime.

In this biographical neo-noir film, idealistic NYPD Officer, Frank Serpico, who refuses to participate in the widespread corruption within law enforcement, is constantly harassed by his colleagues. When higher authorities ignore his complaints and he is shot in the face by another cop, he decides to testify before a government commission investigating into the police corruption.

A remake of the 1932 film of the same name, Scarface narrates the story of an exiled Cuban criminal, Tony Montana, who joins Miami drug lord Frank Lopez and desire to have it all – the empire as well as latter’s trophy wife. He rises to become powerful drug lord himself. However, enemies and his own paranoia eventually lead to his downfall

Based on a 60 minutes segment, the movie focuses on Jeffrey Wigand and CBS producer Lowell Bergman. Former Brown & Williamson employee, Wigand survives death threats and corruption in corporate America to reveal the truth about his former company while Bergman struggles against CBS to reveal the entire truth to the public.  

The film is based on the real story of FBI agent Joe Pistone who goes undercover as Donnie Brasco to spy on mob life in New York and befriends gangster Lefty Ruggiero. However, his prolonged absence breaks apart his marriage, the mafia begins to suspect a mole in the gang, and he becomes attached to his friend Lefty.

A thief pulling off one last heist, and a cop hell-bent on catching him; Heat has all the elements of a successful crime drama, complete with an all-star cast. How this game of cat and mouse plays out forms the crux of the movie, with plenty of action and drama to satisfy every viewer.

A dramatization of the 1972 bank robbery masterminded by John Wojtowicz, the movie Dog Day Afternoon chronicles the events following a bank robbery committed by Sonny Wortzik and Salvatore Naturale. The film is notable for its anti-establishment tone. 

Arthur Kirkland is a defense attorney who finds himself in a moral crisis when he is forced to defend a judge accused of rape, whom he thinks may be guilty.  

A scholarship student takes up a temporary job over Thanksgiving weekend taking care of a blind retired army officer. Soon he is busy preventing the alcoholic veteran officer's moody misadventures including attempting suicide. This award-winning drama is the remake of a 1974 Italian film.

After drug dealer Carlito Brigante is released early from prison thanks to an exploitation by his sleazy lawyer friend Dave Kleinfeld, he pledges to mend his ways and rekindles his romance with former girlfriend Gail. However, despite repeated attempts to avoid temptations, he is eventually dragged into his former violent lifestyle while assisting Kleinfeld against an Italian Mafia boss.

Defence Attorney Kevin Lomax is competent and has never lost a case. He is hired by New York’s top law firm headed by John Milton, and despite his mother’s resistance, he leaves with his wife Mary Ann. His new job is demanding and Mary finds herself isolated and begins having visions and nightmare. Kevin eventually realises that he might be working for devil.

LAPD detectives Will Dormer and Hap Eckhart come to Nightmute, Alaska, to assist in the investigations of the murder of a 17-year-old teenage girl, but while trying to entrap prime suspect Walter Finch, Dormer accidentally shoots Eckhart. With young local detective Ellie Burr investigating Eckhart's death, insomniac Dormer becomes an easy pawn in Finch's psychological game.

A former convict Johnny gets released from prison and starts working as a cook in a local diner. He soon falls in love with a waitress named Frankie, who is a loner and emotionally wounded. However, Frankie is determined to win her love.  

In the final film in The Godfather trilogy, Michael Corleone is almost successful in legitimizing his family business and is keen to leave the underworld. However, there are numerous issues that he has to deal with, starting from his own health to a feud between Vincent Mancini and Joey Zasa and a blooming romance between Vincent Mancini and Mary.

Frank, a troubled detective living in New York City is investigating a serial killer using personal ads in a magazine. In order to find the culprit, he tries to use his own personal ads. Problem arises when he falls for Helen Cruger, who is his prime suspect. 

An innocent young boy is accidentally killed during a shootout between the police and the mob. Soon the Deputy Mayor steps in to investigate the matter and dig for answers.

The Irishman is a crime drama film which revolves around a truck driver named Frank Sheeran, who becomes part of the Bufalino crime family. Over time, he climbs the ranks to become a top hitman.

Danny Collins is an aging rock star who decides to change his life after he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon. He even reunites with his illegitimate son and his family, but over time, his past demons return and start to haunt him.

Veteran football coach, Tony D'Amato, who took the Miami Sharks to the top, is struggling now with an aging team and is at odds with new young team owner Christina Pagniacci. Following repeated team injuries, when third-string quarterback Willie Beamen steals the show with his offensive display, D'Amato is forced to reevaluate his professional and personal decisions.

Ricky Roma, Shelley Levene, Dave Moss, and George Aaronow are four real-estate salesmen who work for Premiere Properties, Chicago. When during a sales meeting it is revealed that the bottom two salesmen of the month will be fired, rivalry turns into jealousy and treachery amongst the four. 

James Clayton is recruited by Senior CIA instructor Walter Burke to be trained at the Farm, the CIA training facility. Unfortunately, he is let go after failing an exercise. Later, Burke tells him that he actually passed and recruits him as an undercover agent. But nothing is what it seems.  

Scarecrow is a drama film which tells the story of two vagabonds Max Millan, a short-tempered ex-convict and Francis Lionel, a childlike ex-sailor, who meet in California, and decide to become partners in a car wash business. They work hard together to find success.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a comedy drama film which takes us 1960s Los Angeles and tells the story of Rick, a fading actor and Cliff, his stunt double, who try to navigate the rapidly changing film industry, and hope to regain the fame and success they once had.  

Forensic psychologist, Jack Gramm, was instrumental in the conviction and sentencing to death of serial killer Jon Forster. Nine years later, as the day of Forster’s execution approaches, copycat murders start happening and Gramm receives a call stating he has only 88 minutes to live. Gramm must find the copycat murderer before it’s too late. 

In this final film in the Ocean's trilogy, Danny Ocean and his team set out to bring down hotelier and casino owner Willy Bank after the latter betrayed Reuben Tishkoff. His audacious plan, if successful, will lead to the failure of Bank’s new casino on its opening day itself.

Tough detective Dick Tracy is after crimes mastermind Alphonse ‘Big Boy’ Caprice, who is trying to take over the city, and another mysterious criminal, The Blank. Besides, he has to keep girlfriend Tess Trueheart happy, take care of an orphan, and elude advances of seductive club-singer Breathless Mahoney who can furnish evidence against Caprice. Tracy must nab Caprice to save the city.

Ivan Travalian is a struggling playwright who tries to get movie actress Alice Detroit act in his new Broadway show. Meanwhile, his wife Gloria is bored with their marriage, and therefore, she decides to leave him. He is now alone as a single parent not just for his son but also his stepchildren.

NYPD detectives, David Fisk and Thomas Cowan, partners for 30 years, are investigating murders of suspected criminals who escaped sentence. A pair of young detectives being assigned to the same case creates tensions between the two teams. As the serial killer is doing what the police can’t do within the law-boundaries, Fisk and Cowan wonder whether the killer is one amongst them? 

House of Gucci is a crime drama film which revolves around the story of Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider with humble origins, who marries into the Gucci family after charming their son Maurizio Gucci. Soon, their romance turns into a fight for control of the famliy business. 

Based on William Shakespeare’s popular play of the same name, this film tells the story of Bassania, who requires a huge sum of money if he wants to marry the woman of his dreams Portia. He has no other option but to make a deadly deal with a cruel Jewish moneylender named Shylock. 

Two for the Money is a sports crime drama film, which tells the story of Brandon Lang, a former college football star, who sustains an injury that ends his career. He eventually aligns himself with a renowned tout in the sports-gambling business. 

Brooklyn teenager Natalie has always had confidence issues for not being good looking as per society norms. Frustrated with her parents, she moves to Manhattan and finds true love in aspiring artist David Harris. As their romance blooms, complications from David’s previous marriage forces Natalie to truly take control of her own life. 

The Panic in Needle Park is a drama film which tells the stories of various heroin addicts who frequently visit a park in New York City named ‘Needle Park’.

A psychopath is killing gay men all over New York. Detective Steve Burns is assigned to the case, and he soon has to go underground in his attempt to catch the killer.  

When Val is released after serving 28 years in prison for killing the son of a crime boss, he finds his old friend and crime partner Doc waiting for him. The two friends spend the night in partying and while having their dinner, Doc confesses that he has been ordered to kill Val within 10 A.M. and if he does not do that he himself will be killed.  

Misconduct is a drama thriller film which tells the story of Arthur Denning, owner of a pharma company, who dominates his girlfriend. Things take a turn when she is kidnapped, and he is asked to go to an art gallery with the ransom amount.

Manglehorn is an eccentric locksmith in a small town. He was left heartbroken by the woman he had loved forty years ago, and now he finds himself obsessing over the choices he had made in his past. However, with the help of a new friend, he tries to start his life over again.

The Humbling is a comedy drama film which tells the story of Simon Axler, an aging stage actor, who is beginning to suffer from dementia. He is institutionalized after an incident, and this affects him so much that he begins to consider suicide. His life takes a turn when he meets the daughter of an ex-girlfriend and begins a relationship with her.    

Eli, who works as a PR professional, witnesses his client’s girlfriend get murdered. Soon, it seems that his client is involved in a scandal, and very powerful people are behind the murder. He feels that he might be their next target.

The Son of No One is a crime thriller drama film which tells the story of a young cop who is assigned to a precinct in the working class neighborhood where he grew up. He finds himself in trouble, when the evidence of two murders resurfaces, as it starts to jeopardize not just his career but also his family life.   

Hangman is a mystery crime thriller film which tells the story of a homicide detective, who is hunting for a notorious serial killer, whose crimes are based on Hangman, a children’s game. He also brings his former partner out of retirement, hoping that he can help him. The two are shadowed by crime reporter Christi Davies, who later begin to aid them in the investigation as well.  

Filmmaker Viktor Taransky needs a hit to revive his declining career. But the leading star of his next film quits and he is unable to find a suitable replacement. Then he digitally creates ‘Simone,’ an unreal but realistic-looking actress who becomes a star overnight. So it becomes difficult for him to reveal the reality and has to struggle to hide her non-presence. 

Revolution is a historical drama film which tells the story of Tom Dobb, a fur trapper, who decides to take part in the American Revolution, since his son Ned joins the Army as a drummer boy. Things get complicated when his son is captured by the British, and is chosen to replace some British drummer boys. Meanwhile, his father sets out to find and rescue him.

Thanksgiving is not a happy occasion for the successful Los Angeles ad executive, Jack Sadelstein, because of his obnoxious twin sister Jill’s yearly visit, which unfailingly turns his blissful world topsy-turvy. However, Jack has no option but to tolerate her longer when he realizes that actor Al Pacino, whom Jack badly requires for a high-paying client’s commercial, has taken a liking for Jill.

A small-time inept gangster, Larry Gigli, receives orders to kidnap a mentally disabled brother of a prominent district attorney. As Gigli abducts the person and brings to his apartment, a gorgeous, spunky woman, Ricki, is sent to work with him to ascertain that Gigli doesn’t mess up the job. But then Gigli is drawn to Ricki who claims to be a lesbian.

Jay Bahadur, after completing his graduation, tries to gain prominence as a journalist, but fails. Eventually, with the advice of a friend, he decides to go to Somalia, and investigate the lives of the pirates there. He soon finds himself in the civil-war torn country. As he interviews several of the pirates, he also begins to find his life more and more in danger.

Looking for Richard is a documentary drama film which explores the lasting impact of William Shakespeare in pop culture. The film focuses on his highly regarded play ‘Richard III’.