Watch Fear City
- R
- 1984
- 1 hr 35 min
-
5.7 (4,493)
Fear City is a 1984 crime-thriller directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams, and Jack Scalia. Set in the seedy underbelly of New York City in the early 1980s, the movie follows the lives of a group of strippers who are being stalked and murdered by a mysterious serial killer while the police desperately try to catch him.
The story starts with a young woman being attacked and killed by the killer, setting off a chain of events that will eventually lead to the fates of many characters intertwining. We are then introduced to Matt Rossi (Tom Berenger), a former boxer turned talent agent, who runs Club Ophelia, a strip club in Manhattan. Matt hires dancers for his club and is constantly on the lookout for new talent.
Meanwhile, the police investigate the serial killer's murders, led by Lieutenant Al Wheeler (Billy Dee Williams). He is initially skeptical of Matt and his dancers but begins to uncover a web of corruption and deceit surrounding the club scene in the city.
As the murders continue and become more frequent, tensions rise among the dancers at Club Ophelia. One of the dancers, Loretta (Melanie Griffith), becomes the next target of the killer and is eventually rescued by Matt. The two begin a romantic relationship while the killer continues his rampage.
Throughout the movie, we are given glimpses into the lives and struggles of the dancers, many of whom have traumatic pasts and are using the club as a means of survival. Some have drug addictions, while others dream of making it big in the entertainment industry.
The tension builds as the killer's identity is slowly revealed, and he becomes more and more brazen in his attacks. Matt, Loretta, and the other dancers at Club Ophelia are forced to band together to protect themselves and stop the killer from claiming any more victims.
Fear City is a gritty and intense thriller, with Ferrara's signature raw style and unflinching portrayal of New York's seedy underworld. The performances by the cast are strong, particularly Berenger as the charismatic and dedicated Matt, and Williams as the tough but fair Lieutenant Al Wheeler. The movie's depiction of the strip club scene is both titillating and unsettling, and the killer's motive and identity are revealed in a satisfying and believable way.
Overall, Fear City is a well-crafted and engaging crime-thriller that is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
Fear City is a 1984 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7.