detective frank keller ( al pacino and in a perfect star vehicle ) be a middle age lonelyheart and recently divorce and whose ex be marry to his partner . he begin think about his mortality a his 20 year of duty on the force have come up and long for a female presence in his life have weigh on the mind . he on a case regard a swinger who be shoot in the back of the head while listen to an oldie record 45 title and sea of love . a chance meeting with another detective from another precinct and det . sherman ( john goodman in a terrific performance ) point to a possible string of killing a they find both their case have the same mo . they decide to work together when they find that print match from both of their case and both male have put poem in the single ad . frank want to try this himself and with both he and sherman believe the killer be a female with wrath towards lady men a the motive . keller and after go through several date with many woman who answer the ad ( . which come from a poem frank mom write ) and begin a steamy love affair with a sexy divorcée into kink . that female be helen cruger ( ellen barkin and heat the screen ) and and she have frank feel like a teenager . but and frank begin question their relationship when he begin notice little sign that may point to helen possibly be the very killer he investigate . this be true center of the story and a conflict plague frank who be just head over heel for helen . i must say this be one of my favorite pacino performance because he wear weariness like a badge on his face . i felt pacino play him right show a cop really damage by a failed marriage and hit the point in his life where he could retire from the force which bring up his age which torment him . then this seductive gal come along and throw him for a loop and rejuvenate him . i think barkin be flat out hot a the love interest . i think she provide just the right amount of mystery that have u question her much like frank eventually do . the film have a great dynamic between pacino and goodman which only make it even well .