Sea of Love

In Manhattan, Detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino) is an efficient and veteran cop with twenty years on the force, who is lonely and misses his ex-wife Denise. She left him to live with his colleague from the same precinct Gruber (Richard Jenkins). When a killer kills his victim with a shot on the neck and leaves a single playing "Sea of Love", Frank is in charge of the investigation. Detective Sherman, from a district outside Manhattan, joins Frank when a second victim is killed in the same MO. They find that both victims have written poetry in the lonely hearts column of the single magazine "New York Weekly". When there is a third case, Frank convinces his chief to write for the magazine and work undercover investigating the women that reply the advertisement. Frank fall in love for the prime suspect, the manager of a shoe store Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), jeopardizing his investigation. "Sea of Love" is one of the best and most underrated thrillers ever. I do not know how many times I have seen this movie since the release in the movie theaters, then on VHS and now on DVD. The classy story is a film-noir perfectly developed, and shows one of the most erotic love scenes of the cinema history. Al Pacino is simply perfect, showing a perfect chemistry with the sexy Ellen Barkin, who is in the top of her career, and also with John Goodman. The soundtrack is also one of the most beautiful of the cinema, and the CD with eleven songs is fantastic. Samuel L Jackson, in the beginning of career, plays a criminal in the story with a minor participation. My vote is nine. Title(Brazil): "Vítimas de uma Paixão" ("Victims of a Passion")

Sea of Love is directed by Harold Becker and written by Richard Price. It stars Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, Michael Rooker and William Hickey. Music is by Trevor Jones and Ronnie Taylor is the cinematographer. Plot has Pacino as New York Police Detective Frank Keller, a borderline alcoholic and lonely after his wife left him for one of his colleagues. Tracking a serial killer of men, an investigation set-up leads him to date a number of women with the idea of obtaining forensic evidence off of the wine glasses. One of these women is sultry blonde, Helen Cruger (Barkin), who Frank starts to have a passionate relationship with….. The erotic thriller is a tough premise to get right on film, so many elements have to fall in to place for the film to win over critics and film goers alike. Chemistry of lead cast members, a gripping plot, plausible outcome, and so on. Too many over the years have failed miserably at it, resorting to either gratuitous tactics or simple star casting to entice the paying public in to the theatre. Sea of Love is not a complete success, but it's certainly one of the best of its type. Were it not for a weak murder motive that's not fully explored, resulting in something of an unsatisfying finale, we would probably be talking about Sea of Love being the template movie for the erotic thriller. All else that leads up to the last 15 minutes is sizzling, Barkin and Pacino spark in every scene they share, where even with the sex scenes, the fact that Barkin towers over Pacino doesn't detract from the sexual chemistry, it adds to it. It's smart, too, that we don't see Barkin for the first third of the movie, the anticipation builds up and thankfully upon arriving into the picture she doesn't disappoint. Goodman is ebullient and makes a good foil for Pacino's haggard life sucks act, his Sherman an easy to get on side with character. The guessing game at the heart of the plot is well handled by the makers, there's no stupid giveaways or overkill of red herrings, while the edgy lonely hearts basis for both the killings and the investigative trap is nicely written by Richard Price. Fusing both loneliness and sexual needs together as one, Becker is able to get much emotional mileage out of the story. If only the ending could have made good on the promise shown. Come the last 15 minutes the "is she or isn't she the killer?" factor has run out of steam, with what follows inducing cries of "oh, is that it?"- instead of- "oh my god!". Damn shame that. 7.5/10

A detective investigating a series of murders becomes involved with a woman who may be the culprit. Very enjoyable, immersive and some of the best acting ever!

New York police detectives Al Pacino and John Goodman investigate serial killings stemming from the classifieds; since the victims are married men cheating on their wives, the pair figure the killer to be a woman scorned. From director Harold Becker's handling to Richard Price's screenplay to--most especially--Trevor Jones' erotic music, everything in "Sea of Love" is revved up for a sleek horniness. The mystery-angle of the plot seems to take a backseat to naked limbs and orgasmic sounds. Still, the film doesn't pulsate with sex as much as it does skim over its surface. By the end, it all looks fairly silly and dire. Goodman does very likable work, but Pacino and Ellen Barkin are an oddly aloof pair--they're a photogenic couple, but do we really care what happens to either of them? ** from ****

Frank Keller is a New York detective investigating the murder of a man who was found naked, shot in the back of his head, with the song 'Sea of Love' playing on the record player. It is suspected that the killer may be a woman. This theory is reinforced when it there is a similar killing in Queens. Both victims had placed poetic ads in a lonely hearts column. Keller teams up with Detective Sherman Touhey, from Queens, and place their own advert. They meet various women and Keller ends up going out with one Helen Cruger; unfortunately it is possible that she is the killer; if so he could be in real danger. This might not be one of the '80s most memorable films but it is well worth watching if you enjoy cop movies. Al Pacino does a fine job as Keller and has a good chemistry with John Goodman, who plays Touhey. He also has a believable chemistry with Ellen Barkin's Helen... simultaneously falling in love and occasionally fearing she could kill him. Barkin is really good as Helen; sexy but slightly ambiguous. Inevitably there are some twists along the way before we finally learn who the killer is. The story has a good neo-noir feel with plenty of tension and ambiguous characters while managing to avoid some clichés I'd expected. Overall a solid film that I'd recommend to fans of the genre; a must see for Pacino's fans.

While Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin do a good job, John Goodmam steals the show as the cop from Queens who wants to make it into the "big time" of Manhattan. My biggest problem with this movie is the abundance of plot holes that never get filled. What does the song "Sea of Love" have anything to do with anything? Why does the killer leave it playing on the victim's turntable instead of taking it with him? Why don't the cops go to record stores to ask who has been buying this same old 45 once a week? Why do the cops continue with their lonely hearts baiting scheme if there aren't any more killings once Pacino meets Barkin? Why did the killer wait so long to attack Pacino when it was obvious he killed the other men immediately after his ex-wife's first encounter with them? What cop doesn't have photographs of other cops hanging all over the walls in his apartment so that anyone who walks in can tell right off the bat that he's a cop? What man who gets sloppy drunk every night keeps such a neat apartment in the first place? What man considers asking a woman to move in with him when he hasn't even met the woman's child and doesn't even know the kid's name? Why did Barkin's character stay with Pacino's character after she found out what an annoying lush he was? And most importantly, what woman would allow her husband to invite a complete stranger to her daughter's wedding at the very last minute, and then let them discuss police work? It wasn't a completely bad movie, and there were some good parts, but overall it left me wondering about too many things.

Some of my friends thought this is one of those films that is great the first time you see it, but diminishes after that because the heavy suspense questions have been answered. However, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin and John Goodman are all so entertaining to watch that I've always enjoyed this film no matter how many times I've seen it. The suspense is what this film is all about, but I am fascinated with these actors, including supporting performances by Michael Rooker and William Hickey. Although her looks are a little hard and her mouth way too profane for my tastes, Barkin never looked better and sexier. That Pacino's character, "Detective Frank Keller" would fall for her is understandable, especially know what part of his anatomy is doing the "talking." However, adultery, once again is excused in this film along with other not-so-moral acts so this isn't a film you want to show to your church group. All three of the leads are very weak, ethically-speaking. The fact that this film can go on for almost two hours with very little action and still keep you riveted to your seat speaks highly of its entertainment value. Why critics knocked it so much, I don't know. Hey, it's good entertainment. What more do you want?

Within a kind of light and shadow there's almost a trademark photography for a film noir movie, and "Sea of Love" is a film that takes place in the shadows Al Pacino plays Frank Teller, a self-conscious detective—in search of a serial killer—drawn into a torrid sexual relationship with an attractive young woman he met in a super market when all the good citizens of the city are asleep and the people who are walking around are the ones who are leading the most solitary lives Helen Barkin is just so right for the part… You can believe her when you see her dressed in her red leather jacket and tight jeans… She's a lady of the night, sexy as hell, and a woman who can take care of herself… Between her and Pacino, there were enough attraction that's deep but also there were feelings of vulnerability and suspicion

Great screenplay, acting and settings combine to make a dynamite film. The constant tension between the police investigation and Pacino's love interest keep the suspense going strong, and the chemistry between Barkin and Pacino is fabulous. John Goodman is excellent as always, the sex/death themes add to the tension, and the ending will throw most for a loop... this film delivers. Try it, you'll like it. 8/10

I remember seeing Sea of Love at the theater in 1989 and left saying to myself I had just seen one of the best thrillers made. Sea of Love is just one of those movies that kept me in great suspense and excitement I really felt surprised in the end when the killer was revealed. Since then I have caught Sea of Love about a dozen times on cable and still to this day enjoy the thrilling drama. The story is just great with the legend Al Pacino as Detective Frank Keller who tries to catch and bait a lonely hearts killer. Pacino is helped in his search by Detective Sherman played great by the very funny John Goodman this was one of the better performances from Goodman. Then the search takes a good but yet a bad turn when Pacino (Detective Frank Keller) finds an interesting friend a very sexy and erotic type looking female played marvelously by the attractive Ellen Barkin. I must say that with the stunning performance Ellen gave with this role she should have gotten any work she wanted to in films. I will not say nothing to any of you who haven't seen the film I will let you enjoy the surprise like I did the first time I saw Sea of Love. Sea of Love doesn't get the respect it deserves still it airs on cable but watch this on a dark and rainy night alone or day for that matter and feel the thrills and suspense of this steaming thriller you would see it's one of the best films around I don't see who would or could dislike this so take a swim in the sea of love!