DECEPTION IS DANGEROUS. DESIRE IS DEADLY.

In a novel attempt to catch a serial killer who shoots men after finding them in the newspaper singles column, New York city detective Frank Keller (Al Pacino) places his own ad in the paper… On first sight, this thriller doesn’t look like much; the final revelation of the killer seems almost desperate and far from the most interesting part of the movie. Still, Harold Becker and his team keep us guessing throughout and balance the hunt for the killer with a juicy, sexy romance between Pacino’s alcoholic cop and a woman who really is a suspect. A very seductive package, passionately played by the two leads (and John Goodman), and cleverly scored by Trevor Jones and the titular 1959 chart-topper.

1989-U.S. 112 min. Color. Produced by Martin Bregman, Louis A. Stroller. Directed by Harold Becker. Screenplay: Richard Price. Music: Trevor Jones. Cast: Al Pacino (Frank Keller), Ellen Barkin (Helen Cruger), John Goodman (Sherman Touhey), Michael Rooker, William Hickey, Richard Jenkins… Samuel L. Jackson, John Spencer.

Trivia: Dustin Hoffman was allegedly considered for the lead.

Last word: “I have to say, even in the experiences I’ve had that have been—let’s just say ‘difficult’ or ‘trying’—there’s always been a shining light for me. I did not enjoy making the movie ‘Sea of Love’, but Al Pacino, on the other hand, was my savior. And that was a wonderful thing. Just the fact that everything about ‘Sea of Love’ was wrong, except there I had, arguably, one of the great American actors as my fierce, fearsome protector, and that felt amazing to me and gave me a level of confidence that I certainly never would have had without him.” (Barkin, A.V. Club)

IMDb