I cannot believe that there are only 4 reviews here a year after this landmark film came to be. I watched it on DVD, ironically only after the love of my life suggested I should after she had. Watching it, I cannot believe that there are reviews here which still carry the debate whether Serpico was a 'rat' or actually a rare man who knew and knows what morality is.
In time I hope to buy this DVD. That is because the message inside it, from Serpico's own mouth, applies across the board, not just to cops. Elected officials are to use our selection of them to lead, not rule. Lawyers are to use their position to uphold principled justice, not advance their positions over their own duty to the law, as a protectorate of rights and justice.
The whole of this planet's citizenry should sit down and watch this documentary. They should then ask what is the disease in our society that allows Donald Trump to declare that his position makes him above all laws, international and otherwise.
Near the end of this movie, Serpico insinuates what I loosely use in this title. However, he nails it on the head when he also suggests that the law is required to be applied in a manner where we are all equals, cop or not.
Others want to debate whether this film settles the issue that Serpico acted properly when becoming a singularly brave man who dared to stand up against corruption? Let them. When they do, they miss the fact that it is men like this to whom statues should be built instead of this imposed stupidity that stature in society, that is the wealth achieved, is a measure of modern morality. Serpico's simple approach to life and the value of this film is that both confirm that, despite their faults, it takes men like Serpico to define what moral, not perfect, behaviour truly is
