Released in 2026, Dead Man’s Wire, starring Pacino, is comparable to Dog Day Afternoon, one of his most critically acclaimed performances, which proves the actor is still prolific 57 years after his feature film acting debut in 1969’s Me, Natalie. Ever since his work in The Godfather, Pacino has remained a beloved actor whose stage presence might simply be unparalleled.
It is inevitable, though, that an actor with his talents and longevity in the industry would have a few movies to his name whose popularity would have eroded with time. Al Pacino’s most underrated performances didn’t all go unnoticed, but have all faded from the limelight over the decades, including his only time working with The Exorcist director William Friedkin.
Al Pacino Is The Lead Actor Of William Friedkin’s Cruising
In William Friedkin’s 1980 film, Cruising, Al Pacino plays an undercover police officer, Steve Burns, who aims to infiltrate the New York City BDSM subculture in the guise of a gay man to track down a serial killer who has been terrorizing the community by murdering their members. The audience sees the murders, so the film isn’t a mystery movie.
In fact, Cruising isn’t that focused on the hunt for this killer as it is on Steve Burns’ transformation through his work. He befriends his gay neighbor, starts visiting nightclubs, changes his wardrobe regularly, and begins questioning the motivations and the actions of the police force. The assignment’s toll on Burn’s relationship with his girlfriend is also a significant subplot.
Cruising is the ultimate proof of William Friedkin’s versatility as a director whose most famous movies already demonstrate how many different genres he has worked with. Cruising was a bold film to make at the time of its release, and while it is no longer as popular, the film still ranks high among William Friedkin’s best movies.
Cruising’s Controversy Explained
The ’80s were a time of significant public reform, and is often characterized by the rise of alternative cultures and lifestyles that aimed to mainstream marginalized people’s lives so they may live on their own terms in a world often torn apart by discrimination and injustice. BDSM was viewed as taboo even within some parts of the queer community itself.
So, when Cruising was announced in 1980, the movie was heavily protested by the LGBTQ community, who were concerned it would perpetuate harmful stereotypes, especially since the plot revolves around a serial killer and Steve Burns’ transformation. The movie’s release was followed by hate crimes against the LGBTQ community, including a shooting at a gay bar featured in the movie.
Cruising Has Aged Surprisingly Well
Not only has the controversy faded from relevance today, but Cruising has also proven to be much better than its harshest critics and its dark legacy might have suggested. The portrayal of the queer community, albeit superficial, is sensitive and progressive because it doesn’t shy away from depicting the gay BDSM culture in all its sweaty, sleazy, and leather-clad glory.
Cruising‘s exploration of Burns’ psyche makes it one of the best detective movies of the 1980s, a time when the hangover from the peak of the crime noir era was still being felt through the characterization of morally dubious protagonists. Burns undergoes a radical change in his attitude towards the police and the queer community, and Cruising merely observes him.
Cruising Features One Of Al Pacino’s Most Nuanced Performances
While it is one of the most frequently parodied traits of his acting, almost everyone who enjoys Al Pacino’s screen presence is taken by the signature moments when he loses his calm and screams with his inimitable and theatrically dramatic expression. However, the demands of any role on Pacino can be studied more easily by observing him in subtle scenes.
Steve Burns is a passionate but cautious man whose ability to blend into any crowd is as essential as his steadfastness to justice. So, Pacino’s performance in Cruising is a delicate act of balancing his moral conflicts and changing perceptions with impulsive moments and sequences where he somehow still contains his rage under the surface, even when driven to hysteria.
Cruising’s Ending Proves It Is More Mature Than It Looks
Up until the final act of Cruising, it may feel like the movie is insensitive and is indeed reveling in its depiction of a lifestyle it clearly deems too perverse to be mainstream. Acts of violence, though not gratuitously framed, are designed to be aesthetic, and there is almost a relentless barrage of sexual acts that clearly objectify the participants.
However, Cruising‘s enigmatic ending, which leaves viewers with a moment of contemplation, communicates to them how much thought Friedkin put into the design of his characters and the depiction of the gay BDSM subculture. Cruising‘s climax subtly hints at Burns’ changes, visually hints at the acceptance of queerness, and cleverly champions the concept of fluidity, both of self-expression and personality.
