Cruising
1980
***½
Director: William Friedkin
Cast: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Joe Spinell, Jay Acovone, Randy Jurgensen, Powers Boothe, Barton Heyman, Gene Davis, Ed O'Neill
An NYPD officer, Steve Burns, goes undercover to investigate a series of brutal murders in the city's gay S&M and leather bar scene, only to discover something about himself that he was previously unaware of. William Friedkin's unusual and ambiguous crime drama flopped upon its release due to its graphic content, poor reviews, and protests. However, viewed today, its depiction of the gay community seems surprisingly progressive. Friedkin's screenplay, based on Gerald Walker's 1970 novel, didn't completely grab me, but his blue-tinted film looks terrific.
