Cruising

New York hides a killer who targets patrons at the city's hidden nightlife. A young, eager rookie detective named Steve Burns is assigned to trap the murderer from inside the world he uses to move unseen. He infiltrates the underground bars and the S and M subculture, hoping the masked predator will surface as he blends into the crowd. In rooms the air grows thin with danger and the line between law and temptation blurs. Burns discovers danger extends beyond the thrill of the chase, with the city pulsing around him and trust becoming a rare commodity. Every lead becomes a dead end or ambiguity. As he links fragments of evidence, the tension thickens and every encounter tests his nerves.

Released in 1980, Cruising was directed by William Friedkin and drawn from a story by Gerald Walker. The movie pairs Al Pacino with a claustrophobic urban mood, placing a determined undercover cop inside a dangerous subculture to chase a killer.

Box office: The film grossed $19,814,523 worldwide on an $11 million budget, making Cruising a modest commercial achievement for its time, and it drew attention for its provocative subject matter and Pacino's intense performance that polarized critics and audiences alike.

Critics debated its portrayal of the S M subculture and the gay community, and the film sparked controversy upon release. Pacino's intense performance and Friedkin's unflinching direction provoked conversations about censorship, representation, and the boundaries of mainstream thrillers. Its release sparked conversations that echo in genre films today around then.

Reception has been mixed, with praise for tension and atmosphere and criticism for sensationalism and exploitation. The film delves into dual identities, voyeurism, and the ethics of undercover policing, forcing audiences to wrestle with what desire can do when danger hides behind a smile and shadows everywhere in the city.