When Al Pacino comes to mind, some major movie titles tag alongside the icon – likeThe Irishman, Ocean’s 13, Scarface, Dog Day Afternoon, as well as The Godfather franchise. You could definitely call him one of the tops of the top when it comes to prolific stars in the history of Hollywood. Honestly, Pacino's been a star in everything he's in, including the Adam Sandler 2011 comedy Jack and Jill where he makes a commercial for one of America’s favorite coffee chains.
The now 84-year-old Pacino essentially has doors, windows, and even skylights open to him in the industry, so why did he jump in on a Sandler movie? Well, he sat down with the New York Times and opened up about why, explaining:
I think that’s funny. It came at a time in my life that I needed it, because it was after I found out I had no more money. My accountant was in prison, and I needed something quickly. So I took this. There’s this thing I do in that film: They got me doing a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. You know how many people think I actually made that commercial?
Now knowing all that, it was a smart move for the Best Actor Oscar winner to bounce back into the game quickly. Sandler's films are quite large, and he's had plenty of celebrities make appearances in them over the years, so, all around, it was a good move for Pacino.
Plus, The Godfather actor has the comedy chops, and he made one killer Dunkin Donuts commercial.
Jack and Jill isn’t necessarily a top Sandler movie, but it stands out in part because of Pacino’s role. The story revolves around twin siblings, Jack and Jill, both played by Sandler, and their family dynamics. Pacino fits in bizarrely as a love interest of Jill, and as you can imagine the film gets wackier still.
Pacino has long surpassed his days on the set of the odd sibling movie, but he hasn’t shied away from comedy-adjacent roles over the years. Dick Tracy, Ocean’s 13, and The Scout all have a humorous sense that is certainly more lighthearted than some of his other roles. All the same, this man can deliver in a movie.
What’s ahead for the Serpico star now? He has one project on the 2024 movie schedule called Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness, which is set in the streets of Paris during World War I. Going into the 2025 movie schedule he also has some titles in post-production, including The Ritual. Beyond that, maybe more of that funny, comedic side of Pacino will surface again. One can hope!
