Book Review｜Sonny Boy: Al Pacino, A Candid and Funny Memoir of a Hollywood and Broadway Legend
Sonny Boy: Al Pacino is an honest and straightforward memoir. Compared to other autobiographies I’ve read, it feels warm, funny, and very real. Al Pacino’s life as an actor began early, guided by a mother who loved theater and movies, and who introduced him to the stage.
His father left soon after he was born. His mother loved him but was fragile and often ill, so Pacino grew up rebellious, full of mischief, and later struggled with alcohol.
He had a group of childhood friends he remembered all his life. They weren’t “good kids” in the usual sense, but they filled his loneliness, stood by him, and pushed him forward. Sadly, many of them died young from drug addiction.
A Lucky Survivor, A Lifelong Calling
These experiences taught Pacino how lucky he was to have survived, and shaped his tough, never-quit attitude. Raised poor on the streets, he was lucky to have his grandparents and mother caring for him, which kept him away from drugs, crime, and violence.
One key turning point was his middle school teacher, Blanche.
Blanche, full of passion for teaching, once climbed five flights of stairs to tell Pacino’s grandmother: “You must let this boy keep acting. This is his future.” For Pacino, this was simple but priceless. No one else had ever put in that kind of effort just to encourage him — to believe in him, like “a blade of grass pushing up through the cracks of concrete.”
When he was performing the play Tiger at the Gates, his mother and grandfather passed away one after another. In his early twenties, broken by grief, Pacino discovered what he truly wanted for life.
He wrote:
“One night during a performance, everything suddenly happened. This power of expression opened before my eyes in a way I’d never seen before. The strange thing is — I hadn’t even been looking for it. It just came. Suddenly, at that moment, I knew I could do anything. The door was opening, not to a career or to success or money, but to a kind of life force. My soul understood, and I had no choice but to say: I want to do this for the rest of my life.”
From then on, acting became the reason he lived — his one true passion.
The Commitment of a Method Actor
The book also shows Pacino’s identity as a method actor, and his devotion to the craft. He wrote:
“In a way, your preparation for any role is always the same. You have to organize yourself and bring yourself into the character. You have to understand another person inside you. I guess there are many versions of ‘me’ inside. As an actor, your performance always reflects your feelings about things. As an actor, you are always searching for identity and connection.”
By the end of the book, Pacino describes reaching a place where acting was second nature, like breathing. He could even perform his one-man Broadway play China Doll for two hours straight, reading from a teleprompter, and still enjoy every moment.
Why This Memoir Drew Me In
What I liked most was Pacino’s mix of humor and brutal honesty. In the chapter Grown-Ups Don’t Do That, he said:
“Honestly, when I was young, I worked hard to stay apart. I thought, the less people knew about me, the more they would appreciate the characters I played. So I stayed quiet.”
This kind of raw self-analysis can feel almost shocking, but it’s also deeply sincere.
Many autobiographies still feel polished, full of filters and packaging. But Pacino, now in his eighties, looks back on his youth with clarity and openness. He shares without hiding, as if nothing can or should be concealed anymore.
I also liked the imperfect stories — sometimes politically incorrect, sometimes painful. He doesn’t try to excuse or decorate them; instead, he tells them plainly, often with a hint of reflection or even self-criticism (like the incident when his friend Cliffy attacked a teacher).
Flaws and Truths
Some readers wanted more: more about Pacino’s relationships, more thoughts on other great actors, more behind-the-scenes secrets of his films. Others hoped for more of his philosophy as a lifelong reader, or his family life.
If you compare it to Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights, McConaughey’s book is definitely more philosophical, even cryptic at times. Sonny Boy feels calmer and less dramatic, but there are still gems fans will appreciate, scattered across chapters.
For example, Pacino writes about the early death of his close friend Norman Ornellas and fellow actor John Cazale. In The Deer Hunter (1978), the cast covered John’s insurance so he could keep working, while Meryl Streep, John’s partner, cared for him through his illness. Pacino also recalls filming Cruising (1980). Troubled by how it stigmatized the gay community, he donated his paycheck anonymously to a charity trust — not for PR, but to ensure something positive came out of a negative project.
To some, these may be familiar Hollywood anecdotes. But I liked how carefully Pacino and co-writer Dave Itzkoff handled them — without turning the book into gossip, or rewriting his life to attack or glorify.
Struggles With Fame and Addiction
Another striking part is his honesty about loneliness, failure, and alcohol. He admits feeling isolated on set, not connecting with certain scripts (yes, even Han Solo in Star Wars!), and bouncing between jobs before being fired. His struggles with drinking are described in painful detail.
One moment stood out: staying at a friend’s house, blacked out from drinking, he was told he’d just won a National Board of Review award for The Godfather. All he could say was, “Do you know a psychiatrist? Because I need help.” That gap between fame and his inner despair shows how urgently he needed recovery. Thankfully, he did eventually get sober.
Highs and Lows
I loved the part where, on the night he won his Oscar, he flew straight to the next film set. He reflected:
“When you look back, what does life really give us? Maybe it’s just wiser people sharing some applause with all of us. That little bit of recognition can get you through a night. Maybe even a lifetime.”
Reading this moved me so much. It made me want to give more warmth and recognition to my own friends and family, to help them through tough times.
At the very end, Pacino imagines dying and meeting his mother in heaven — the mother he lost too soon: “Hey, Ma, look! This is what I became.”
What You’ll Find in This Book
If you’re a fan of Al Pacino, this memoir gives you a close look at his early life, the making of The Godfather series, and classics like Scarface and Dog Day Afternoon. You’ll also see his humor, passion, quirks, and self-reflection. With glossy photos included, it’s worth keeping on your shelf.
If you’re not a fan yet, the book still shows many sides of a great actor. You might be surprised by his Broadway work, his friendship with Robert De Niro, or his warm bond with Elizabeth Taylor.
Conclusion: An Honest Actor’s Memoir
In the last chapters, Pacino talks about his second career low — losing his fortune in a Ponzi scheme in his seventies (the first low came after The Godfather when several films flopped). Even as one of the “big three” actors of his generation, he still faced betrayal, failure, and Hollywood’s cruelty.
But he came back again, thanks to his close friends and his unstoppable love for acting.
In one interview, James Lipton asked him, “What do you hope God will say at the gates of heaven?” Pacino answered: “I hope He says: The rehearsal starts at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon.”
That sums up Pacino perfectly — an actor for life.
Sonny Boy: Al Pacino isn’t gossip or attack. It’s a candid portrait of an actor who stayed true to his craft, fought through low points, and kept returning to the stage and screen.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Anyone who enjoys autobiographies or memoirs
- Readers curious about Hollywood and Broadway
- People going through hard times who need encouragement
- Or simply anyone who admires Al Pacino
📚 Published by Arc Culture (方舟文化) in September 2025.
This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher. All thoughts are my own, written without editorial input.
