Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Please don't spend money on this.

A different way of telling a story

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Sea of Love is directed by Harold Becker and written by Richard Price. It stars Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, Michael Rooker and William Hickey. Music is by Trevor Jones and Ronnie Taylor is the cinematographer. Plot has Pacino as New York Police Detective Frank Keller, a borderline alcoholic and lonely after his wife left him for one of his colleagues. Tracking a serial killer of men, an investigation set-up leads him to date a number of women with the idea of obtaining forensic evidence off of the wine glasses. One of these women is sultry blonde, Helen Cruger (Barkin), who Frank starts to have a passionate relationship with...The erotic thriller is a tough premise to get right on film, so many elements have to fall in to place for the film to win over critics and film goers alike. Chemistry of lead cast members, a gripping plot, plausible outcome, and so on. Too many over the years have failed miserably at it, resorting to either gratuitous tactics or simple star casting to entice the paying public in to the theater. Sea of Love is not a complete success, but it's certainly one of the best of its type. Were it not for a weak murder motive that's not fully explored, resulting in something of an unsatisfying finale, we would probably be talking about Sea of Love being the template movie for the erotic thriller.This movie of the same name, made 30 years later, evidently uses "Sea of Love," an evergreen rock and roll hit, as a theme. The song was written by New Orleans native John Phillip Baptiste, AKA Phil Phillips, who had a hit with it on its first release in 1959. John Goodman brings a lot to this movie: he ably supports the stars, when they've got their clothes on, playing Pacino's new cop partner Sherman Touhey. And when the Missouri-born Goodman delivers an "acapella" version of "Sea of Love," in that New Orleans accent he's entitled to use, well, he just stops the show. This movie has great New York ambiance, a good plot, good acting, a good sound track, Ellen Barkin at her most gorgeous, hot sex scenes, and touches of humor. It stands up to repeated viewings, and like Mr. Dangerfield, it deserves some respect.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

"Sea of Love" What can I say, it has Al Pacino and John Goodman in a movie with Ellen Barkin and Michael Rooker. It's as if the people who cast the film wanted nothing more than the creation of an easy link when they played Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.Brando was in "The Godfather" with Pacino who was in "Sea of Love" with Barkin who was in "Diner" with Kevin Bacon.Robert Downey Jr was in "Iron Man" with Jeff Bridges who played the Dude along side John Goodman who was in "Sea of Love" with Rooker who was in "JFK" with Kevin Bacon.It is kind of what the movie does best, gives you those links that lets you work around the over used movies like "A Few Good Men." Going through "Diner" is a lot more satisfying than going through "JFK," but sometimes you are just there and might as well take it.Wait, what does all of this have to do with the movie? What do 90s drinking games have to do with Sea of Love? Absolutely nothing, it was just space filler."Sea of Love" is not a bad movie...but it is one that you have seen before. "Jennifer 8" is the same style but with a cooler ambiance. "The Ambulance" is the same sort of movie with a stranger plot.Unless you are a die hard Pacino fan...and who isn't?...you probably came across this movie on WGN at noon on a Sunday.Sunday Manatee is "Sea of Love" with Al Pacino...because you aren't watching cable so we can't afford to give you something premium.It's that type of flick and nothing more and nothing less.

I remember watching this on TV back in the early 90s. It was the first film I saw starring Al Pacino, and I must say I found him likable here.Anyhow, the plot is real good with the exception that the killer - who isn't revealed until the end - didn't have to appear at all earlier in the story, but does, in a minor role.Supporting cast very well chosen.Good directing, even interesting music, for being made in the 80s.There's one thing that bothers me, and this isn't on the account of Sea of Love, but rather another movie: Burn After Reading. I believe that the Coen bros did borrow quite a bit from this picture. Not only Richard Jenkins, who plays the Hardbodies Manager in BAR, but also the dating feature, which is rather crucial to the BAR story, and the peculiar sequence when Pacino discovers Barkin's gun in her bag. He kind of freaks out and starts jumping about, very neurotically. Clooney almost copied this sequence in BAR after realizing that he has shot a guy (Pitt).

I wouldn't rank this among Pacino's best, nor will I remember it for years to come, like I would other Pacino movies, but for a sexy thriller it does the job. This movie does a good job at keeping you out of the loop, when it comes to the culprit. You're never fully sure what is behind Ellen Barkin's mysterious character, but you can't help but keep watching. Al Pacino plays somewhat of an alcoholic who becomes more and more infatuated with Ellen Barkin as the movie goes along. Let's face it. Pacino can play cards for an hour, and he'll grab your attention. Thankfully, he doesn't phone it in here, and goes full in. I especially liked the scene where he is undercover, interviewing woman at a restaurant to try and find the killer. He was fantastic here, but that shouldn't be any surprise. His chemistry with Barkin was pretty good as well. I touched on Ellen Barkin briefly at the beginning of the review, but I can't understate her great performance, or her enormous sex appeal. Some of her steamy scenes with Al Pacino had me in awe. It was pretty hot stuff. John Goodman is quite good as Pacino's friend, whilst Michael Rooker makes a memorable appearance at the end. I did think the ending was a bit subdued, and it does tend to drag at places in the middle, but overall, I dug it. I recommend it. P.S. Keep on the lookout for Samuel L. Jackson!7/10