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The Panic in Needle Park

The Panic in Needle Park

Drama · Romance · Crime · 1971

A stark portrayal of life among a group of heroin addicts who hang out in Needle Park in New York City. Played against this setting is a low-key love story between Bobby, a young addict and small-time hustler, and Helen, a homeless girl who finds in her relationship with Bobby the stability she craves.

Movie details

The Panic in Needle Park

“God help Bobby and Helen, they're in love in Needle Park”

1971 Drama · Romance · Crime 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

A stark portrayal of life among a group of heroin addicts who hang out in Needle Park in New York City. Played against this setting is a low-key love story between Bobby, a young addict and small-time hustler, and Helen, a homeless girl who finds in her relationship with Bobby the stability she craves.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Panic in Needle Park?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jerry Schatzberg

Written by

Joan Didion · John Gregory Dunne

Al Pacino

Al Pacino

Bobby

Kitty Winn

Kitty Winn

Helen

Alan Vint

Alan Vint

Hotch

Richard Bright

Richard Bright

Hank

Kiel Martin

Kiel Martin

Chico

Michael McClanathan

Michael McClanathan

Sonny

Warren Finnerty

Warren Finnerty

Sammy

Court is in session

Put The Panic in Needle Park on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.