Cruising

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Cruising

R,

1980,

1h 46m,

Crime/

Drama/

LGBTQ+

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Watchlist

Watchlist

50%

66 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

5,000+ Ratings

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.

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.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Aug 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.

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Charles Champlin

Los Angeles Times

Apr 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.

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Bruce McCabe

Boston Globe

Apr 27, 2018

William Friedkin's Cruising is a work of art.

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Feb 17, 2025

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.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Nov 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.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Oct 5, 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…

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Theodore M

Sep 19, 2018

Al Pacino is a gay cop who has to suck off hundreds of guys to find out which one is the killer. lovely film if youre gay but if you are not youll probably be puzzled. also, the ending made no god damn sense, who was the killer? this is the worst al pacino movie, worse than the devils advocate

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Theodore G

Aug 17, 2018

i don't share your admiration, audience.

Hagrid

Feb 19, 2018

The movie is annoyingly unclear about so many things.

Albus S

Feb 12, 2018

Would have given this crap "no stars" but I rated this one one star only because of the hilarious scene of Al Pacino dancing with another dude at a gay S&M bar. I accidentally picked this one up in the '80s because I saw Pacino's mug on the box and figured it would be a good cop movie. Should've read the back of it. LOL. Well at least I know what crusing has more meanings than driving around in a car. Assless chaps, gay bondage, fisting, and other sickness make an appearance in this movie. Good for a laugh or shock value.

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Anakin S

Feb 6, 2017

Bold role for Pacino but regrettable.

Abraham G

Feb 22, 2015

Why not this is an excellent movie in all all departments ?

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William Friedkin

Director

Al Pacino

Steve Burns

Paul Sorvino

Capt. Edelson

Karen Allen

Nancy Gates

Richard Cox

Stuart Richards

Don Scardino

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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)

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