Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Cruising

Play trailer Poster for Cruising R 1980 1h 46m Crime Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
50% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A psychopath is scouring New York City gay clubs and viciously slaying homosexuals. Detective Steve Burns (Al Pacino) is ordered to don leather attire, hang at the city's S&M joints and keep an eye out for the killer. But as Steve becomes immersed in club hopping, he begins to identify with the subculture more than he expected. Meanwhile, Steve behaves distantly around his girlfriend, Nancy (Karen Allen), the police force's homophobia becomes apparent and the killer remains at large.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Cruising

Cruising

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Cruising glides along confidently thanks to filmmaking craft and Al Pacino's committed performance, but this hot-button thriller struggles to engage its subject matter sensitively or justify its brutality.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Anton Bitel Little White Lies 08/19/2019
Here Steve's 'undercover' status serves as a metaphor for his closetedness (and vice versa) - while murder is committed at the behest of an internalised paternal voice of authority that regards homosexuality as a guilt that must be bloodily expunged. Go to Full Review
Charles Champlin Los Angeles Times 04/29/2019
The principal complaint, artistically, about Cruising is that it is not very clear at the rudimentary level of exposition of character and event. The problem... is in a script that never seems sure enough what it wants to say or prove. Go to Full Review
Bruce McCabe Boston Globe 04/27/2018
William Friedkin's Cruising is a work of art. Go to Full Review
Frank J. Avella The Contending Feb 17
B-
Both Cruising and The Boys in the Band are deeply flawed but transfixing cinematic representations of gay life at a time before the decimation of a generation of promising young men and the galvanizing of those that miraculously survived. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 11/16/2024
Seen with hindsight, it’s an interesting (if not necessarily satisfying) film, part sideshow and part art film dive into a subculture... A fascinating artefact but ultimately wanting. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 10/05/2024
2/5
…a mixed bag even for hardened sensation-seekers…it’s hard to argue Cruising is a thoughtful, sensitive view of the NYC gay community; it feels more like a sensationalistic, exploitative take… Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Daniel S 2d 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 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 Feb 28 Love how they dare to show. See more Landon J @Minxsykitty Feb 7 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 David P Feb 4 I always liked this movie even though it falls a little bit short of total coherence. The mood, atmosphere, and acting are all fantastic. See more Read all reviews
Cruising

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Dog Day Afternoon 96% 90% Dog Day Afternoon Watchlist Mike's Murder 80% 48% Mike's Murder Watchlist Busting 17% 51% Busting Watchlist Thieves Like Us 81% 72% Thieves Like Us Watchlist The Long Goodbye 95% 87% The Long Goodbye Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A psychopath is scouring New York City gay clubs and viciously slaying homosexuals. Detective Steve Burns (Al Pacino) is ordered to don leather attire, hang at the city's S&M joints and keep an eye out for the killer. But as Steve becomes immersed in club hopping, he begins to identify with the subculture more than he expected. Meanwhile, Steve behaves distantly around his girlfriend, Nancy (Karen Allen), the police force's homophobia becomes apparent and the killer remains at large.
Director
William Friedkin
Producer
Jerry Weintraub
Screenwriter
William Friedkin, Gerald Walker
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
United Artists, Lorimar Film Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 8, 1980, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 46m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now