Tenderness is a 2009 crime thriller film directed by John Polson and written by Emil Stern. The movie is based on the novel of the same name written by Robert Cormier. The film stars Russell Crowe as Detective Cristofuoro and Jon Foster as Eric Poole, a violent and disturbed teenager who may have killed his own family.
The story revolves around the relationship between Detective Cristofuoro and Eric. After years of chasing down criminals and studying their behavior, Cristofuoro becomes fascinated with Eric. Eric, who has just been released from juvenile detention, is a troubled young man with a violent past. He's also smart and manipulative, which makes him all the more dangerous.
As Cristofuoro delves deeper into Eric's past, he begins to suspect that Eric may have been responsible for the deaths of his family members. Along the way, he meets a teenage runaway named Lori (Sophie Traub), who becomes involved with Eric.
The film is dark and suspenseful, with strong performances from its lead actors. It was generally well-received by critics, who praised the performances and the film's tense atmosphere. However, it was not a commercial success, grossing only $14,947 in the US box office.