Sea of Love (1989)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Harold Becker

Writer (WGA):

Richard Price (written by)

Release Date:

15 September 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

In search of a killer, he found someone who's either the love of his life... or the end of it.

Plot:

Frank Keller is a New York detective investigating a case of a serial killer who finds the victims through the lonely hearts column in newspapers...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Love | Suspect | Single | Investigation

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Det. Frank Keller
Ellen Barkin	...	Helen Cruger
John Goodman	...	Det. Sherman
Michael Rooker	...	Terry
William Hickey	...	Frank Keller Sr.
Richard Jenkins	...	Gruber
Paul Calderon	...	Serafino
Gene Canfield	...	Struk
Larry Joshua	...	Dargan
John Spencer	...	Lieutenant
Christine Estabrook	...	Gina Gallagher / Lonelyheart
Barbara Baxley	...	Miss Allen
Patricia Barry	...	Older Woman
Mark Phelan	...	Murdered Man
Michael O'Neill	...	Raymond Brown

Runtime:

112 min | USA:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:M | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Al Pacino's first movie in 4 years.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Frank enters Mackey's apartement the second time, he leaves the door wide open. When Gina arrives it is closed.

Quotes:

Det. Frank Keller: What's she gonna do, shoot me? We're in a restaurant!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Heat (1995)

Soundtrack:

BEYOND THE SEA

One of the Best and Most Underrated Thrillers Ever

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")