Detective Frank Keller(Al Pacino, in a perfect star vehicle)is a middle-aged lonelyheart, recently divorced, whose ex is married to his partner. He begins thinking about his mortality as his 20 years of duty on the force has come up and longing for a female presence in his life has weighed on the mind.<br /><br />He's on a case regarding a swinger who was shot in the back of the head while listening to an oldie record 45 titled, "sea of Love". A chance meeting with another detective from another precinct, Det. Sherman(John Goodman in a terrific performance)points to a possible string of killings as they find both their cases have the same MO. They decide to work together when they find that prints match from both of their cases and both males had put poems in the singles-ads. Frank wants to try this himself, with both he and Sherman believing the killer is a female with wrath towards ladies' men as the motive.<br /><br />Keller, after going through several dates with many women who answer the ad(..which came from a poem Frank's mom wrote), begins a steamy love-affair with a sexy divorcée into kink. That female is Helen Cruger(Ellen Barkin, heating the screen), and she has Frank feeling like a teenager. But, Frank begins questioning their relationship when he begins noticing little signs that may point to Helen possibly being the very killer he's investigating. This is true center of the story and a conflict plaguing Frank who is just head-over-heels for Helen.<br /><br />I must say this is one of my favorite Pacino performances because he wears weariness like a badge on his face. I felt Pacino plays him right showing a cop really damaged by a failed marriage and hitting the point in his life where he could retire from the force which brings up his age which torments him. Then this seductive gal comes along and throws him for a loop, rejuvenating him. I think Barkin is flat-out hot as the love-interest. I think she provides just the right amount of mystery that has us questioning her much like Frank eventually does. The film has a great dynamic between Pacino and Goodman which only makes it even better.