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Trailer

Cruising

1980Movie1 h 42 minR

CrimeMystery
55
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb6.5Letterboxd3.6/5Metacritic437.0Rotten Tomatoes50%49%

A gripping, tense crime movie about crime and the mind.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want to half-watch while scrolling

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Al Pacino is Cruising for a killer.

When New York is caught in the grip of a sadistic serial killer who preys on patrons of the city's underground bars, rookie cop Steve Burns infiltrates the gay S&M subculture to try and lure him out of the shadows.

Feels like

  • Dark Crime Thriller
  • Undercover Investigation
  • S&M Subculture
  • Serial Killer
  • Psychological Exploration
  • Gritty Realism
  • Controversial Themes
  • Bleak Atmosphere

Cast

24 of 29

Crew

Directed by
William Friedkin
Written by
William Friedkin, Gerald Walker
Produced by
Jerry Weintraub
Music by
Jack Nitzsche

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

February 15, 1980 · 1 h 42 min · R

Released
February 15, 1980
Runtime
1 h 42 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Original language
English
Made in
United States, Germany
Budget
$11 million
Box office
$20 million
Available in
46 countries

Tropes

The Stool Pigeon, Subculture of the Week, Reverse Whodunnit +9

  • The Stool Pigeon
  • Subculture of the Week
  • Reverse Whodunnit
  • Content Warning
  • Visible Victimology
  • Fair Cop
  • Bisexual Love Triangle
  • The Big Rotten Apple
  • Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
  • Where Everybody Knows Your Flame
  • All Gays Love Theater
  • Gay Cruising

12 of 48 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Cruising?"

Questions about Cruising

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Cruising?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Cruising from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It streams in 29 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is Cruising worth watching?

55
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 55 (IMDb 6.5, Letterboxd 3.6 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 50%, and Metacritic 43). Audiences rate it higher (64 out of 100) than critics (47).

Will I feel good after watching Cruising?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 6 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Will Cruising scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 6 of 10.

What tropes does Cruising use?

The Stool PigeonSubculture of the WeekReverse WhodunnitContent WarningVisible VictimologyFair CopBisexual Love TriangleThe Big Rotten AppleJack Bauer Interrogation TechniqueWhere Everybody Knows Your FlameAll Gays Love TheaterGay Cruisingand 36 more

TV Tropes lists 48 tropes for it, including The Stool Pigeon, Subculture of the Week, and Reverse Whodunnit.