Cruising

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Ola G @Ollie1972 Feb 22 First of all, I respect William Friedkin (Rest in peace) as a director/screenwriter that gave us classics like "The French Connection", "The Exorcist", "Sorcerer" and "To Live and Die in L.A.". However, "Cruising" clearly belong to his absolute worst films to my mind. It's an exploitative, incoherent, amateurish film that falls flat with an ending that goes right out the window. Al Pacino looks completely out of place as officer Steve Burns that goes undercover in the world of gay S&M/leather and it seems that he would´ve rather been somewhere else than in that movie. "Cruising" looks like an 80´s low budget exploitative thriller with truly wobbly performances. Nothing feels authentic, but rather staged and silly. See more Daniel S Dec 4 This film aims for shock and difference yet misses a clear payoff. Extreme scenes from the gay S and M underground replace character development. In 1980 many viewers saw a first mainstream depiction of gay life through this lens. Numbers from contemporaneous surveys show limited representation in major releases during that period, under five percent featured openly gay themes, which increased the impact of this portrayal. The result feels more voyeuristic than meaningful. Characters lack depth. The undercover officer played by Al Pacino never gains a clear inner voice. His girlfriend functions as proof of heterosexual identity instead of a person with agency. The killer falls into a simple trauma template focused on paternal conflict. Scenes hint at identity confusion and internal struggle yet fail to progress those ideas into clear character choices. See more Rami A @Bunt101 Sep 9 Trying to be something you're not is often difficult, and Al Pacino's performance perfectly demonstrates that. Other things in the movie are questionable, however. See more Sami Z Jul 6 Cruising is a gritty, thought-provoking thriller that blends murder mystery with psychological ambiguity with a strong Al Pacino performance. Some scenes feel like filler and the plot could’ve been tighter, but the unsettling atmosphere and it's metaphorical nature makes it a fascinating watch. Controversial or not, it stands as a bold piece of cinema that’s worth seeing for fans of dark, challenging films. See more G.D. 0 @Daniel-jgm1 02/28/2025 Love how they dare to show. See more Landon J @Minxsykitty 02/07/2025 My initial reaction to this movie's ending was frustration for lack of clarity and resolution. Eventually, my feelings turned to appreciation for it's ambiguity. It has some really well shot atmosphere and setting scenes, in the park and clubs scenes especially. Not many period movies would dare to do a subject like this, especially with the severity and spectacle this title provides. This does a really good job of balancing a straightforward thriller with cool art house style, abstractness, and surrealism. See more Read all reviews

Cruising

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