THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK (1971)

Cast

Plot

Looking like Asbury Park-era Springsteen, Pacino's first starring role sees him playing a happy-go-lucky junkie living it up in New York City. When he meets clean Helen he wants to straighten out but can't and she becomes dragged into his world...deeper than he ever was. Without the stigma of mob boss or Satan-incarnate, watching Pacino in these early days is quite a treat. Light and moving, in a similar vein to Drugstore Cowboy, Panic is gritty and real and worth a watch.