“Dog Day Afternoon” Broadway review: Jon Bernthal takes on one of Al Pacino's most famous roles

Dalton RossTue, March 31, 2026 at 4:00 AM UTC

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Jon Bernthal, Danny Johnson, and Jessica Hecht in 'Dog Day Afternoon' on BroadwayCredit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

“You think you’re the good guy. But you’re the bad guy.” So says a bank manager being held at gunpoint to his captor during Dog Day Afternoon, the exhilarating yet at times tonally confusing new Broadway play based on the beloved 1975 film (itself based on a Life magazine article about a real 1972 bank robbery) now playing at the August Wilson Theatre.

Much in the same way bank robber Sonny struggles to define whether he’s an “armed thug” (as described by a news report), a decent man (who ultimately botches his quick getaway so that his female hostages can use the restroom) driven to desperate measures, or a wannabe folk hero who hams it up to a crowd of NYC admirers, the show itself seems to be suffering from a bit of an identity crisis.

Or maybe it is just a bit jarring to see one of cinema’s most beloved crime dramas somewhat reimaged as a… comedy? Perhaps that is fitting, seeing as how the new adaptation features Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, whose joint TV show The Bear has nonsensically competed in comedy awards show categories for years, but either way, it definitely makes for a different Dog Day experience.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach (L) and Jon Bernthal in 'Dog Day Afternoon' on BroadwayCredit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

The basic story is still the same — Bernthal’s Sonny and Moss-Bachrach’s Sal attempt to rob a Brooklyn bank on a hot summer day — and much like the acclaimed Sidney Lumet film, things go wrong immediately. There was always a Keystone Crooks element to this part of the movie, but the play (written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Rupert Goold) sends it into overdrive, complete with bathroom humor of both the number one and two variety. Some of the jokes and intended laughs work well enough, while others — like when a previously prone security guard revives temporarily to shout out the name of his favorite donut shop — are real, well, dogs.

As far as other changes from the film, the play successfully beefs up the law enforcement tension outside of the bank between even-keeled NYPD detective Fucco (the always engaging John Ortiz) and bullying FBI agent Sheldon (an excellent Spencer Garrett). Their dynamic with each other and Sonny keeps the engine of the play humming. The situation inside with the bank tellers is more of a mixed bag. Broadway MVP Jessica Hecht makes for a great foil-turned-ally in head teller Colleen, but the production loses a lot of act two momentum when Paola Lázaro’s Guadalupe starts in on the guitar for a completely unnecessary song that is certainly a showstopper, but not in the way they intended.

Outside of Guadalupe’s ill-advised solo, however, music is one of the ways the new Dog Day Afternoon completely captures the vibes of 1970’s New York City. Prepare for lots of David Bowie from the moment you enter the August Wilson Theatre, but also old school jams from the likes of T. Rex and the Jimmy Castor Bunch. (This has to be the only Broadway show that has Brooklyn funk pioneers Mandrill blaring from the speakers during intermission.)

Spencer Garrett (L) and John Ortiz in 'Dog Day Afternoon' on BroadwayCredit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

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The costumes by Brenda Abbandandolo and hair and wig design by Leah J. Loukas are on point, with Bernthal strutting around like an old-school John Travolta — serving with a wavy do, open shirt, and high-waisted pants. And my goodness, we need to talk about the set. In an unfortunate era of set design simplicity, scenic designer David Korins thankfully goes the other way, using a turntable to continuously take crowds both inside and outside the bank in striking detail. In many ways, the immaculate set with all that wood paneling is the unsung star of the show. And speaking of stars…

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As much as audiences may be shelling out top dollar to see how the classic film is adapted for the stage, they are also paying to see Bernthal tackle what just may be Al Pacino’s finest role. And tackle it, he does. Anyone who has watched the actor’s career knows Bernthal can do burning intensity with the best of them, as evidenced on shows like The Walking Dead and The Punisher (also starring Moss-Bachrach). And the scenes where you see him live on stage clashing and crashing are everything you would expect.

Not just any actor can pull off Pacino’s famous “Attica!” scene and make it his own, but Bernthal does exactly that, turning the theater audience into his awed NYC street crowd, imploring them to join him in chanting, and tossing a giant wad of cash into the orchestra. (In a nice touch, the fake bills are filled with Brooklyn references like Lady Moody and the Verrazzano Bridge, with the serial number being the date of the bank robbery).

Wilemina Olivia-Garcia , Andrea Syglowski, Jon Bernthal, Elizabeth Canavan, Paola Lázaro, Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Michael Kostroff in 'Dog Day Afternoon' on BroadwayCredit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

But we knew Bernthal could do all that. Where the actor truly shines is in the more tender moments. (Spoilers already revealed in the movie coming up, so if you know nothing of the actual story and want to remain that way, best you look away now.)

The movie and play both reveal that the reason Sonny is robbing the bank is to pay for gender-affirming surgery for his transgender wife Leon (Esteban Abdres Cruz). When Sonny finally gets Leon on the phone, you see Bernthal at his most affectionate and vulnerable, and the contrast from the whirling dervish we’ve seen to that point makes the scene all the more touching.

It also makes up for the earlier, less-than-ideal introduction to Leon. Depicting a transgender love interest for superstar Al Pacino on screen in 1975 was downright groundbreaking, and not dwelling on that aspect of the character or turning it into a cheap joke showed remarkable courage in that era. So it’s a bit regrettable that the writing for the Leon we meet 51 years later begins by dwelling on sexuality, with the character insisting, “I’m a f---in’ whore… I’m like McDonald's — over a million served!” And then later telling Agent Sheldon to, “Come down to the village sometime, you’ll leave a changed man” while simulating an oral sex motion.

Even worse, due to the comedic nature of the first act, audiences are by this point conditioned to laugh — a dangerous place to introduce a complicated trans character. I left wishing the Leon introduction had waited until that much more poignant phone call scene with Sonny.

Esteban Andres Cruz in 'Dog Day Afternoon' on BroadwayCredit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

What audiences may be wishing for is more Moss-Bachrach, who is not given a whole lot here to do or say as Sonny’s partner in crime, Sal, except piss in a bucket and snack on a 3 Musketeers candy bar. But the fact is, the great John Cazale was given even less in the role for the movie. Thanks to the medium of film, however, Cazale was able to simply project childish sadness through close-ups while remaining mostly silent in the background — not an option for Moss-Bachrach in a 1,200-seat theater. He does what he can, but this is certainly not a showcase for the actor’s talents (best exemplified in the fantastic “Forks” episode of The Bear).

In the end, the new Dog Day Afternoon is a mostly satisfying experience that offers impressive big production values. It has the right star. It has the right set. And with a few tweaks, this Dog could truly have its day. Grade: B

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