Sea of Love

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Sea of Love

R

1989

1h 52m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Troubled New York City detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino) investigates a serial killer who finds victims using personal ads in a magazine and leaves the song "Sea of Love" playing at his crime scenes. With the help of his partner, Sherman Touhey (John Goodman), Frank concocts a plan to find the killer using his own personal ads. But when Frank falls for one of his chief suspects, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), he struggles to reconcile his personal life and his professional duty.

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Critics Consensus

Moody and steadily alluring, Sea of Love benefits immeasurably from the window-fogging chemistry between Ellen Barkin and Al Pacino.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

Efficient enough as a thriller, but what makes this mandatory viewing is the return of Pacino.

Jun 24, 2006

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

A lugubrious imitation of a second-rate television movie, over-produced and over-cast.

Rated: 2/5

May 20, 2003

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

What impressed me most in the film was the personal chemistry between Pacino and Barkin. There can be little doubt, at this point, that Barkin is one of the most intense and passionately convincing actresses now at work in American movies.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Sea of Love finds Pacino in more reliable shape, sparingly employing his over-the-top tendencies only when it makes sense for his character.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 18, 2025

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Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Sea of Love barely dips below the surface of the psycho-killer genre and it barely has time for the emotional complexity of its secondary characters. Yet Sea of Love is genuinely entertaining.

May 9, 2023

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

A somewhat conventional police thriller, from which I cannot extract any significant intrigue beyond the palpable chemistry between Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Aug 9, 2022

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Mitchell M.

Bottom line, good acting, very good atmosphere, plot good, so pretty good mystery, thriller Just what you expect

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/29/25

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Gina R

Sea of Love barely dips below the surface of the psycho-killer genre and it barely has time for the emotional complexity of its secondary characters. Yet Sea of Love is genuinely entertaining.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Jonathan O

Al Pacino performance is outstanding, John Goodman is really terrific and Ellen Barkin performance really sparks with fire and i could compare Play Misty For Me and Sea of Love a music from a song thriller that audiences may scare by listening to it. And Sea of Love has their own twist on the climax.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/25

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Fabrícia F

Instigante, sensual e criativo. Uma série de crimes misteriosos põem à prova um detetive obstinado (Al Pacino) que luta para não ceder ao charme de uma loira misteriosa e vítima.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

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Jelisije J

An enjoyable romantic film.....the killer in this movie is not important compared to a divorced depressed cop finding love again.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

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Arya S

Perfect Pacino in his prime! This may not be the most artistic of his films, but it's a perfectly paced, enjoyable mystery/romance/thriller, with hot chemistry between a gorgeous Barkin and Pacino. Also great performances from John Goodman as Pacino's partner, and Richard Jenkins and the beleaguered husband of Pacino's ex. A fun feast for Pacino fans

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

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Harold Becker

Director

Al Pacino

Det. Frank Keller

Ellen Barkin

Helen Cruger

John Goodman

Det. Sherman

Michael Rooker

Terry

William Hickey

Frank Keller Sr.

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Synopsis

Troubled New York City detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino) investigates a serial killer who finds victims using personal ads in a magazine and leaves the song "Sea of Love" playing at his crime scenes. With the help of his partner, Sherman Touhey (John Goodman), Frank concocts a plan to find the killer using his own personal ads. But when Frank falls for one of his chief suspects, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), he struggles to reconcile his personal life and his professional duty.

Director: Harold Becker
Producer: Martin Bregman, Louis A. Stroller
Screenwriter: Richard Price
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Bregman/Baer Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $56.6M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround

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