Review of The Heat (2013) by Greatmartin — 27 Jun 2013

In “Bridesmaids”, “Stolen Identity” and now in “The Heat” Melissa McCarthy proves that she can out pouty mouth any man, tell more poop and crotch (men and women) jokes and be more base than any of the “Hangover” guys so I am hoping she got that out of her system. I would like to see her tackle a deeper role as her Molly in her hit TV sitcom certainly shows a lot more depth as an actress than her movie roles. As it is she becomes very irritating each time she uses the “F” words, and forms of it, and it would make for s super drinking game as it seems every other word or motion starts with F. She is a very funny lady but the crudeness does not help her or the picture.

I’ve been a big fan of Sandra Bullock’s from her ’girl next door’ roles to the nuttiness and comedy of “Miss Congeniality” and after reaching 40 she got serious, made “The Blind Side” and won an Oscar. In “The Heat” she shows she can keep up and match McCarthy for slapstick and ‘schtick’. The chemistry between them works in a movie that is all over the place and almost begs you to forget it is suppose to have a plot.

The two women play that old stand by--a mismatched couple. Sarah (Bullock) is an FBI agent who is a perfectionist and too smart for her own good while Shannon (McCarthy) is a Boston detective who never heard a dirty word she didn’t like and is always very expressive regarding people’s anatomies plus seems to never have had her hair done, taken a shower or changed her clothes! They are assigned to work together, don’t get along and yet bring down a major criminal!

There is a lot of knock about comedy, with some working and some falling flat and even old prudes like me laughed at a few of the things the women have to say and do. This movie succeeds though not due to the script by Katie Dippold or the direction by Paul Feig but by the antics of Bullock supported by McCarthy. It is almost as if the two actresses got up in front of the camera for 2 hours and improvised what they could come up with. This is definitely Bullock’s movie.

“The Heat” is rated R for good reason and I hope they make a ‘serious’ picture together as the two women bring out something special in each other in the quiet moments..