Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- paranoid
- bleak
- oppressive
- late night viewing
- neo-noir marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a daring, atmospherically potent but uneven neo-noir whose committed performances and provocative subject matter are undermined by narrative and ethical uncertainties.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Steve Burns must enter New York's gay leather and s&m districts while police scrutiny and homophobic hostility shape the investigation.
Burns adopts the clothing, signals, and practices of the scene while his relationship with Nancy deteriorates and his sense of self becomes uncertain.
The serial-killer investigation leaves persistent uncertainty around the murderer's identity and the consequences of Burns's immersion.
The undercover investigation moves through dark clubs, streets, and fetish venues governed by unfamiliar rules and signals.
Films like Cruising, and why
The French Connection
shares neo-noir atmosphere, urban criminal investigation, moral ambiguity, and a psychologically compromised detective figure
Body Double
shares erotic thriller conventions, obsessive investigation, sexual subcultures, and distrust of institutional authority
Manhunter
shares serial-killer procedural tension, bleak urban mood, and an investigation shaped by institutional pressure
Prince of the City
shares undercover policing, identity destabilization, and grim New York crime-thriller intensity
Movie Details
- Director
- William Friedkin
- Release Date
- 1980-02-15
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (658)
Cast
- Al Pacino
- Paul Sorvino
- Karen Allen
- Richard Cox
- Don Scardino
- Joe Spinell
- Jay Acovone
- Gene Davis
- Randy Jurgensen
- Barton Heyman
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Cruising about?
- An undercover New York police officer enters a leather and S&M subculture to hunt a serial killer, only to feel his own identity slipping under the pressure.
- What is Cruising like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cruising as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Cruising violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Cruising as graphic.
- What did critics think of Cruising?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a daring, atmospherically potent but uneven neo-noir whose committed performances and provocative subject matter are undermined by narrative and ethical uncertainties.
- Which films are like Cruising?
- Films with a similar feel include The French Connection, Body Double, Manhunter, and Prince of the City.
- How long is Cruising?
- Cruising runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cruising?
- In United States, Cruising is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
