Review of The Heat (2013) by Kevin B — 19 May 2015

I thought the film would be around 90 minutes and even though it was still only a short, excluding credits, an 1hr and 46 minutes, the film was a very entertaining and fun time, with well matched leads. The film had a very good and entertaining introduction with great music and a continued visual flair that really sets up the film well and gets us into it.

You need to accept very early on that nobody in this film acts like a real person as I've seen some other reviews say that they couldn't like this film because of how ridiculous it was. Besides the fact that Sandra Bullock's character was wearing a short sleeved top, regardless of whether or not she is the one to go in after all the action is finished just to do a sweep of the place, the team don't listen to her or know what she is talking about, which is a joke that comes up again later in the film as well, and just carry on anyway. It struck me as odd at first that they were acting like that, but I accepted what the film would be and the film doesn't take itself seriously at all. Hearing the neighbour very obviously call Bullock's character 'the weird lady' was odd and would someone really smoke weed in front of a cop? The DEA agent was a little over the top with what he said but he got back as hard as he gave so it's fine, it made me laugh that he gave the classic, 'I'm not x but' moment with, ' I'm not misogynist but' but I did like how that character ended as it wasn't what it was strung along to be as. The joke about the pronunciation of 'narc' was a little much, despite the accent; anyone would be able to tell what he was saying, especially someone in her profession. I knew what she was looking for in that scene but when Mullins was looking for her boss' 'balls' is another example of something that just would not happen, but saying that it does fit very well in the world the film has created, especially with how the boss just gave up. Later on in the film when Ashburn is in the wheelchair with her gun out, you would have just expected her to put it down, at least for a moment to just fix her position, there was also a scene where Mullins points a gun at a nurse for telling her to get off of her phone and it's crazy but it's fun. The most realistic thing that happened was that Ashburn kept a gun hidden under her table for easy access, even if some could argue that was too convenient but she probably does have those all over the house though, even if she had only been there a little while.

The film is very funny and it keeps the jokes coming consistently throughout as opposed to just running out of steam near the end like most of these do, even if it took about 30 minutes for the truly big laughs to come. Like I said, the jokes come consistently but there are some moments where some gags do go on more than you would expect them to, but they never become tiresome. The film also has some very quick jokes and one liners that are very funny and are so casually put in and aren't made obvious, which is refreshing for a change. The film has some slapstick; it has the light stuff with Ashburn hitting her face on the door window or Mullins climbing through cars, as well as when Mullins falls off of the fence with someone else that looked like it really hurt. But it also has a very odd scene involving a neck, which I won't spoil but it just felt it didn't need to be, while it ends in a funny way, thanks once more to Melissa McCarthy, it just felt strangely out of place, at first, and needlessly bloody, sure, of course it will be bloody with what it involves, but still. There was a scene later that involved a knife and while that was okay, I just thought the knife would have been placed in Ashburn's mouth. There was a joke in this film that kept resulting in making fun of how old Ashburn was and besides being rude, I didn't think it made sense, why would someone she just met say that? But, again, we have to acknowledge how over the top this film is. Some characters also say 'let it go' a few times, which made me smile. While Mullins explains why no one enters her home because she has all those guns, that wouldn't really stop anyone coming in when she was out of the house, would it? Maybe it would because they wouldn't want to be completely destroyed by Mullins. The joke with the grenade ticking didn't result in a, 'I tricked you', but it does get brought back into the film later but the resolution was weird and it is still kind of odd.

There was a part where I was expecting Mullins to hear about Ashburn's eventual cussing escapade or at least have Ashburn say something in front of Mullins, but it didn't happen. While the eventual scene where Ashburn does explode fits well, it just seemed like a joke that didn't have any resolution with the main characters. I also could have sworn we saw her swear after she woke up after that night in the pub and I thought that Mullins would have said something to Ashburn at the end when she is receiving what she does, as it looks like she might be, at first. In the hospital it looked like they were too late as that person looked like they were already injected. With a chase scene earlier on in the film I thought it would be, 'oh we lost them' 'well, then, who is that?' It also appeared that Sandra Bullock's hair changed colour around an 1hr and 20 for a little bit.

I liked how the two lead characters met and they work well with one another, their relationship grows in a believable way and it is all written very well. Reading the description before the film on Sky Go saying it was a pairing of a smug cop and a mad cop, while it is obvious which actor will be playing what character, I thought it'd be interesting if Bullock played the mad one. It might appear that McCarthy's accent might get annoying after a while but it really doesn't and she does an excellent job. It made me laugh that at one point they both proclaim that they both say that they are always right, it also made me laugh that they chastise each other for reading their files when Mullins took an FBI file previously. They both grow over the course of the film, naturally, but it is funny to see how much Ashburn doesn't get it, she says she is a federal agent when her clothes are getting cut up by Mullins but does she not realise that she is on an undercover operation and has to fit in?! Earlier on in the film I thought her higher-up would have said that she is so good that she has to stay in the field. And, hey, they both have fingerless gloves. The cast for the film is very good and it was surprising to see Marlon Wayans here and I would have liked to have seen more of Thomas F. Wilson.

One of the posters for this film might look like a crazy grindhouse over the top kind of film, whilst also not having major character on it, and while that would have been interesting also, this film is already crazy enough and it is a fun time. This film also showed something I haven't seen much, if you're held at gunpoint, just headbutt the person! The film has a very nice end and wraps up the cast storyline, even if earlier on I thought Mullins would be crying for a different reason. 'The Heat' is a very funny and well acted film that consistently brings the laughs.