The Heat
2013 · Directed by Paul Feig
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
- crime
The story
Uptight and straight-laced, FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn is a methodical investigator with a reputation for excellence--and hyper-arrogance. Shannon Mullins, one of Boston P.D.'s "finest," is foul-mouthed and has a very short fuse, and uses her gut instinct and street smarts to catch the most elusive criminals. Neither has ever had a partner, or a friend for that matter. When these two wildly incompatible law officers join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected: buddies.
What it’s like
Bright, daylight-saturated Boston streets, bland office interiors under flat fluorescent light, and a lot of wide, locked-off framing that lets two very different performers bounce off each other in the same shot. The palette is clean and commercial, with sunny exteriors, glossy digital sheen, and cramped apartments and bars that feel lived-in and a little sweaty. The score is light and pop-leaning, more a pulse under the scenes than anything atmospheric, and the sound design gives room to rapid-fire crosstalk and blunt, bellowing dialogue. Its vibe is brash, chummy, and kinetic, the kind of movie that works on a lazy weekend afternoon or as a loud, easy watch with friends. The rhythm is brisk, with set-piece chases and quick cuts between banter and bursts of action. Emotionally it stays warm and sardonic, following two prickly loners slowly warming to each other. Violence is present and occasionally sharp, with shootings and a few brutal fights played for laughs, but there is no gore and little lingering cruelty. This suits viewers who want R-rated profanity and broad physical comedy with a buddy-cop heart, and it is best for people who enjoy odd-couple chemistry over tension or grit.
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