History Film / SeaOfLove

* InnocentlyInsensitive: One (older) woman is hurt after her fate with Frank when she lingers around long enough to see other people having dinner with him that same evening as part of the investigation.

* EverybodyLaughsEnding: Downplayed but the ending has [[spoiler: Frank and Helen smiling a little as he -apparently successfully- tries to reconnect with her]].

* OneDialogueTwoConversations: Near the end [[spoiler: When Frank thinks Helen is the killer due to having met and slept with all of the men -something he forces out of her-, he gives her a warning which, given that she has no knowledge about, causing her to feel creeped out and threatened]].

* TwoAliasesOneCharacter: [[spoiler: Helen's ex-husband and a worker who was near the scene of one murder]].

* CluelessMystery: In his [[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sea-of-love-1989 review]], Creator/RogerEbert criticized the film for this. The killer is [[spoiler:Helen's crazed ex-husband Terry, a.k.a. the cable guy who appears in two brief scenes]]. The only clue to this is Helen mentioning offhandedly that [[spoiler:she's divorced]], but even then there's no prior indication that [[Terry is her ex-husband]] at all.

* CrazyJealousGuy: [[spoiler: The killer is Helen's ex-husband, murdering any man she goes on a date and sleeps with]].

* FatalAttraction: Frank's knowledge that Helen might be a murderer can't overcome his feelings for her. [[spoiler: She didn't do it though]].

* GlamorousSingleMother: Helen is divorced and has a young daughter.

* MyGreatestFailure: Sherman and Frank are upset when one man who put in a lonely heart prom who they interview is murdered the next day, agreeing that they should have followed him.

* MyGreatestFailure: Sherman and Frank are upset when one man who put in a lonely heart prom who they interview is mrudered the next day, agreeing that they should have followed him.

* WorkingTheSameCase: Frank and Sherman at the beginning of the movie. Unlike most cases of JurisdictionFriction they become fast friends and quickly join forces to investigate together.

* WorkingTheSameCase: Frank and Sherman at the beginning of the movie. They quickly join forces to investigate together.

* YourCheatingHeart: One of the victims who placed a rhyming Lonely Hearts ad was married with kids. The married Sherman also ends up having a one night stand with a woman they meet on the case, something he seems ashamed of.

The film follows unhappily-divorced [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops NYPD]] Detective Frank Keller (Pacino), who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Goodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Barkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer.

A Neo-Noir (with some comic elements) following Detective Frank Keller (Creator/AlPacino), an unhappily divorced NYPD detective who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Creator/JohnGoodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Creator/EllenBarkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer. [[TitledAfterTheSong the movie's name comes from the main song in its soundtrack]].

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A Neo-Noir (with some comic elements) following Detective Frank Keller (Creator/AlPacino), an unhappily divorced NYPD detective who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Creator/JohnGoodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer. [[TitledAfterTheSong the movie's name comes from the main song in its soundtrack]].

* YourCheatingHeart: One of the victims who placed a rhyming Lonely Hearts ad was married with kids. The married Sherman also ends up having a one night stand with a woman they meet on the case, something he seems ashamed of.

* TheMissusAndTheEx: While Frank's ex-wife never appears in the movie, her current husband is one of the other detectives on the case and has a tense, but professional relationship with Frank.

A Neo-Noir following Detective Frank Keller (Creator/AlPacino), an unhappily divorced NYPD detective who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Creator/JohnGoodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer. [[TitledAfterTheSong the movie's name comes from the main song in its soundtrack]].

* BigFun: Sherman, a jocular, helpful guy who also has elements of the {{Sidekick}} and PluckyComicRelief.

A Neo-Noir following Detective Frank Keller (Creator/AlPacino), an unhappily divorced NYPD detective who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Creator/JohnGoodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer.

A NeoNoir following Detective Frank Keller (Creator/AlPacino), an unhappily divorced NYPD detective who finds himself investigating the death of a man who'd placed a rhyming poem personal ad in a lonely hearts column. When more victims turn up under the same circumstances, Frank and Detective Sherman Touhey (Creator/JohnGoodman) end up investigating the case, coming to suspect a woman who'd answered the add, based on a lipstick smeared cigarette. They place an advertisement of their own (using a rhyming poem that Frank's mother wrote for his father), with Frank meeting the women for the dates, and Sherman collecting their fingerprints from wine glasses while disguised as a waiter, and collecting fingerprints. One woman, Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), ends the date early without leaving fingerprints. As Frank attempts to follow her for a second date, he finds himself in danger of falling in love, even as he wonders if she may be the killer.

* TheAlcoholic: Frank, in a DrowningYourSorrows way.

* TwoDialoguesOneConversation: Near the end [[spoiler: When Frank thinks Helen is the killer due to having met and slept with all of the men -somethign he forces out of her-, he gives her a warning which, given that she has no knowledge about, causing her to feel creeped out and threatened]].