Review of Sea of Love (1989) by Timothy S — 15 Jan 2014

Sometimes, good writing, strong performances and capable directing can be enough to lift a standard plot and make it something special. The story behind "Sea of Love" is your basic serial killer potboiler, but it is elevated and greatly enhanced by a trio of strong lead performances, a smart script and Harold Becker's masterful work behind the camera.

Al Pacino rebounds nicely after a string of flops in the mid 80's, going back to the gritty work that made him such a star in the previous decade. He's terrific, with only a few of his trademark oddball moments, and John Goodman provides just the right amount of comic relief as his partner. In reality, though, Ellen Barkin is the real star here, building on the attention she garnered with "The Big Easy" a few years earlier. It's a sultry, delightfully playful performance, and the fact that her star never rose any higher than it did at this point in her career is an absolute shame.

Becker is a talented director, creating a lot of genuine suspense utilizing the "is she or isn't she" technique that was also used a few years back in "Jagged Edge". The resolution comes out of left field but seems plausible enough given the few details about it that we're given to work with. Maybe the less we know the better off we are.

As an entertainment pure and simple, "Sea of Love" is quite successful. It's great fun watching these terrific actors work this script, so much so that the vaguely familiar story seems fresh and invigorating all over again. It's a true testament to what talent and experience can make up for.