Review of Heat (1995) by Charlie M — 23 Feb 2015

This is a movie that I've watched again and again. I watch this movie for the diner scene where they talk about life and dreams. I watch it for the epic Downtown LA heist shootout. I watch it to see how these two frustrated middle-aged men choose their lives because they don't know how to do anything else and because they don't much want to. I watch it because every time I hope that Robert De Niro doesn't go back for Waingro. I hope both men survive so that we can have a sequel but at 3 hour running time we are given all that we're going to get.

Director Michael Mann makes epic, patient thrillers about men with codes. He brought us Last of the Mohicans, Miami Vice (both TV show & movie) and Collateral. There's a quiet awe in the way he films the robbery scenes. No judgment here except on the conniving ones who break the code of honor among thieves.

So what did I see differently the umpteenth time around? The comrodery of the crews, both police and criminals. The inability of these men to have real lives outside of their jobs. A pack of wolves without much of a family. Two men who through different choices, could have easily been one another.

Besides DeNiro and Pacino this cast is loaded. Val Kilmer, Amy Brenneman, Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, John Voight, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Haysbert, Mykelti Williamson, Hank Azaria, Danny Trejo, and Ted Levine. All do a great work here, some even do their best work.

Altogether this is a masterful take on the cops and robber genre. Plus how cool is it to see these actors and screen? So cool.