Dog Day Afternoon

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Dog Day Afternoon is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on Hoopla right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Al Pacino's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Dog Day Afternoon is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives Dog Day Afternoon its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Based on the true story of would-be Brooklyn bank robbers John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile. Sonny and Sal attempt a bank heist which quickly turns sour and escalates into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny's motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become more complicated, the heist turns into a media circus. Credit to Al Pacino and John Cazale for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It hit screens in 1975. The plot mechanics of Dog Day Afternoon never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Dog Day Afternoon will keep you hooked. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Al Pacino anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.