The 10 best Al Pacino movies of all time

Al Pacino is one of the most legendary and influential movie stars of all time.

After initially making a name for himself as a stage actor, he would transition into movies and it was a part as a heroin addict in The Panic in Needle Park that brought him to the attention of Francis Ford Coppola.

Oscar Isaac after Dune: roles that reveal a different side of the actor

Tuesday 13 October 2026, 14:34

Behind the Scenes: The Making of Star Wars and Its Legacy

Tuesday 13 October 2026, 12:36

Even though the studio was not keen on Pacino, Coppola successfully campaigned for the actor to be cast as Michael Corleone in The Godfather. From there, Pacino hit superstardom due to the success of the movie as well as its sequels.

He has received nine Academy Award nominations for acting roles and won Best Actor in 1993 for Scent of a Woman.

Within our MovieMeter community, there are naturally various Pacino movies that have received hugely positive responses. 

By subscribing to become a member of the MovieMeter community HERE, you can rate all of your favourite movies - and some of your least favourite ones.

It is perhaps no surprise to see that the top two movies on our list are The Godfather and The Godfather Part II as they are two of the most acclaimed films in history.

Scarface, Heat and Donnie Brasco make up the top five.

The movie which gained Pacino his sole Academy Award win, Scent of a Women, is in 10th.

Best Al Pacino movies

1.

4.37 (10601)

The Godfather (1972)

Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is the head of a mafia family in New York. When a mobster from another family decides to start selling drugs all over New York, trouble and violence ensue. Don Vito must keep his empire in place while dealing with the return of his son, Michael (Al Pacino) who begins to ingrain himself in the family business.

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan

2.

4.29 (7220)

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The sequel to the Godfather tells the story of the young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) who grows up in Sicily and manages to work his way up into a powerful gangster in New York CIty. At the same time, we continue the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) who is now head of the family business after the passing of his father.

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton

3.

4.19 (9463)

Scarface (1983)

Scarface tells the story of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a Cuban boat refugee who slowly works his way up the Miami cocaine circuit. After solving other people's chores for a while, he starts building his own empire. When the big money rolls in, the now-addicted Montana is overcome by paranoia, and the local crime-fighting team is after him.

Directed by: Brian De Palma
Stars: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and Steven Bauer

4.

4.10 (6495)

Heat (1995)

Detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is obsessed with the thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and tries to catch him, if necessary, at the cost of his private life. As McCauley prepares for the heist of a lifetime, and Hanna's team tries to catch him, both realise they are dealing with the very best in their trade.

Directed by: Michael Mann
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer

5.

3.92 (5082)

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Based on a true story, the film follows FBI agent Joe Pistone infiltrating the New York mafia. Under the name Donnie Brasco, he makes several friends, and he soon manages to work his way up into Sonny Black's mafia family. However, the undercover work is slowly becoming too much for Pistone. His marriage is on the rocks, and the mafia thinks a mole is present.

Directed by: Mike Newell
Stars: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Michael Madsen

6.

3.89 (3180)

Carlito's Way (1993)

Thanks to the great craftsmanship of his lawyer Kleinfeld, the hardened criminal Carlito Brigante is released after several years in prison. This time, Carlito is determined to stay on the straight and narrow. He wants to retire to the Bahamas with his great love Gail and earn a living renting cars. The corrupt Kleinfeld is willing to help him. He has a job that allows Carlito to earn a nice starting capital.

Directed by: Brian De Palma
Stars: Al Pacino, Sean Penn and Penelope Ann Miller

7.

3.83 (4414)

The Godfather: Part III (1990)

An aging Michael Corleone tries to separate himself and his family from the violent underworld. While he tries to link the Corleones to the Vatican, he must deal with a mobster who tries to disrupt the existing balance of power.

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Andy Garcia

8.

3.80 (1997)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Brooklyn, New York, August 22, 1972. Just before noon, Sonny and Sal rob a bank. The robbery was not allowed to last longer than ten minutes, but there is not enough money in the safe and the police are at the door faster than expected, so that the mobsters are locked in with their hostages. In the following hours a veritable war of nerves erupts. In the meantime, the press has also arrived and dozens of spectators are crowding in front of the bank building.

Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Stars: Al Pacino, John Cazale and Charles Durning

9.

3.78 (38)

Chinese Coffee (2000)

Two creative types; writer Harry (Pacino) and photographer Jake (Orbach) have a late-night conversation, discussing their past. They talk about the sum of money that Jake borrowed from Harry and still hasn't paid back, they also talk about Harry's latest book that appears to be based on their relationship.

Directed by: Al Pacino
Stars: Al Pacino, Jerry Orbach and Susan Floyd

10.

3.74 (1921)

Scent of a Woman (1992)

Poor college student Charlie (O'Donnell) takes a summer job that requires him to babysit blind old ex-serviceman Colonel Frank Slade (Pacino). To Charlie's surprise, Slade takes him to New York where they really put the flowers outside. It turns out that the Colonel has special plans to close out the weekend.

Directed by: Martin Brest
Stars: Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell and Gabrielle Anwar