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Cruising (1980)
4/10
Mixed Bag
19 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The writing for this movie is not very good. "You made me do this" is probably one of the most tepid serial killer catch-phrases I've ever heard. The main character being allowed to hang out at gay bars and S&M clubs without really talking to people or building relationships is just not believable. "You're acting really weird, you're either a cop or the murderer, get lost..." seems like the more likely outcome.

Al Pacino is surprisingly forgettable here. It's like he was uncomfortable with the source material and was never able to settle into his role. Too rigid to even really convey the discomfort of a 1980 straight man immersed in NYC gay culture.

...But it's not all bad. Joe Spinell's stoic, eerie lending of a crushing personal anecdote to the beginning of this movie perfectly sets its misanthropic tone. He should've gotten more roles. The fact that he keeps showing up across scenes builds its own sort of uncomfortable momentum and winds up being one of Cruising's few strengths.

Even though the story itself was weak, I thought William Friedkin did a really good job of casting the New York gay and trans community in an empathetic light. The characters you're introduced to seem like real people. Attention is drawn to their heightened vulnerability vis a vis cops who resent and exploit them, and of course, violent crime.

The soundtrack is interesting. An unreleased Germs song, Willy DeVille, John Hiatt.

I don't feel like I completely lost two hours, but I can't see myself circling back to watch this again.
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