Al Pacino's Secret Masterpiece

You would think that, after being famous for such legendary roles such as Tony Montana in Scarface and Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy that Al Pacino would have nothing left to hide. He has portrayed some of the craziest and the most suave gangster-themed characters in history in the process of becoming one of the most famous, most legendary and most timeless actors of all time, an accolade which he continues to this day with his recent flawless performance in 2010’s “You Don’t Know Jack” and a new collaboration with fellow gangster movie veteran Ray Liotta of Goodfellas fame in 2011 entitled “Son Of No One”.

However, after all these years, who would have thought that the legendary Pacino had a secret masterpiece under our noses all along? What is this film you ask? Why, it is not one you would expect by any means at all.

Sea of Love, a 1989 thriller starring Al Pacino in the lead as Frank Keller, John Goodman as Detective Sherman and Ellen Barkin as Helen Cruger is by far, one of the greatest Pacino flicks of all time which despite getting mixed reviews, stands out as one of his greatest for a variety of reasons. Exactly why is “Sea of Love” a hidden masterpiece?

Sea of Love begins with a view over a bustling, busy yet equally beautiful city with a fitting jazz piece in the background. The music is one of the reasons that this film is such a hidden masterpiece. Watching the opening to this film and seeing the beautiful collage of city images and listening to the beautiful music is relaxing yet equally eerie. It can make you appreciate what you have but equally, it can make you want so much more. It shows you that there is a world out there and if you look at it correctly, that world can be perfect. A hidden meaning in the music and the setting perhaps?

The film suddenly juxtaposes by delivering the classic song “Sea of Love” on a 45 record and quickly turns the lights of the beautiful city out in favour of a grizzly, gruesome murder and this is where the story begins to unfold. Frank Keller meets with Detective Sherman at a party, to which they begin to search for the murderer. Try and piece the clues together, but still, you will not get the twist ending; it will still catch you off guard and leave you jaw dropped at the end of the film, but that is not important, what is important is the back-story in the film.

Frank Keller is divorced. His wife left him in place of another officer whom he is forced to work with. This again contrasts the beautiful city lights and the peaceful jazz music. The vast open city, everything can be perfect, yet for Frank Keller, he has already had it all – and lost it. You can’t help but pity him, yet equally, you can’t help but envy him in some other strange way. Keller is a character with so many depths and potentially hidden meanings that it is impossible for him to be portrayed by anyone other than Pacino.

You will watch it once and fall in love with it. You will be shocked, you will be scared and you will in some ways, be heartbroken. Everything just falls into place, beautifully, magically, mysteriously. The beautiful music contrasts a vast, open city yet Keller is stuck in his own tiny, confined space and is fighting to get out. IT is a story inside a story inside yet another story in a way that is so flawlessly performed and portrayed that Sea of Love, by far, is arguably Pacino’s greatest hidden masterpiece, yet it is so underrated and underappreciated even to this day. For any fans of Al Pacino that are looking for something unique from the legendary actor, look no further than Sea of Love.

Get the red wine and cigars at the ready if you fancy and of course, with care, moderation and health firmly in mind, and watch the film. Do not just watch it though; look deep into it. You will uncover so many different, hidden layers to the film that you would not otherwise suspect unless you look for them.