Al Pacino Admits One of His Films Was a Total Disaster — Here’s Why

Al Pacino has played some of the most famous characters in film history, but he is not pretending that every choice he made was the right one. In his memoir Sonny Boy, the actor looks back at his long career and openly admits that a few movies simply did not work. The reflections come directly from the book, which was released recently and has sparked new discussion around his past roles.

In the memoir, Pacino explains that there was a time when money was not his main concern. He says he chose projects based on instinct and whether the role felt interesting to him. As he writes, “It wasn’t like I was doing them for the money”. During that period, he believed the films had real potential, even if the final results told a different story.

One movie he singles out is 88 Minutes. Pacino does not hold back, calling it a disaster. The 2007 thriller, directed by Jon Avnet, follows a forensic psychiatrist trying to stop a killer before time runs out. According to box office records and reviews at the time, the film failed to connect with audiences and critics. Pacino even received a Razzie nomination for the role, which he now sees as a clear sign that the project missed the mark.

He also mentions Righteous Kill, the crime drama that reunited him with Robert De Niro. While the pairing of the two legends raised high expectations, Pacino admits the film did not live up to them. These comments are all shared in Sonny Boy, where he takes responsibility for trusting certain scripts and creative teams too much.

Pacino explains that choosing a movie is always a gamble. He says you never really know how a film will turn out until it is finished and released. Looking back, he seems to accept those mistakes as part of the process, even if he regrets the outcome.

Despite these past regrets, Pacino shows no signs of slowing down. He recently starred in Dead Man’s Wire, a biographical drama directed by Gus Van Sant that premiered in January. The film tells the true story of a hostage crisis and features actors such as Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, and Cary Elwes.

Later, Pacino is set to lead Lear Rex, a new take on King Lear directed by Bernard Rose. The project includes a high-profile cast with Jessica Chastain, Rachel Brosnahan, Peter Dinklage, and LaKeith Stanfield, based on studio announcements.

He also appears in In the Hand of Dante, a film directed by Julian Schnabel that had a strong festival run in late 2025. The cast includes Oscar Isaac and Gal Gadot, according to festival listings.

By openly talking about his failures as well as his successes, Al Pacino shows that even legends can look back with honesty and still move forward.

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