Hi. My name is Matthew Pejkovic from Matt's Movie Reviews and this is my review of Heat. With the 1995 crime epic Heat, two of cinema's most influential and celebrated actors in Al Pacino and Robert De Niro finally shared the silver screen.
Heat also marked when filmmaker Michael Mann reached his creative peak with his superbly written and directed crime saga about the relationship between a cop and a criminal and the people who shape their lives.
Robert De Niro stars in Heat as Neil McCauley, a disciplined master thief who grabs the attention of dogged police detective Lt. Vincent Hanna (played by Al Pacino), after a carefully planned armoured car robbery turns into an unnecessary bloodbath.
With the determined Hanna on his back, McCauley must carefully plan his next score, while contending with the affections of lonely bookstore clerk Eady (played by Amy Brenneman.) Meanwhile, Hanna’s marriage to Justine (played by Diane Venora) is falling apart due to the commitment to his job; and the gambling addiction of McCauley’s right-hand man, Chris (played by Val Kilmer) threatens to tear apart his marriage to Charlene (played by Ashley Judd.)
In Heat, Mann’s famed attention to detail can be seen in every shot with thanks to Dante Spinotti’s impeccable cinematography. Composer Elliot Goldenthall, meanwhile, delivers an emotive score, while the sound, editing, and production design are all outstanding.
A stellar supporting cast - with special mention to Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore and Jon Voight - all give great performances. But the real highlights and drawcard belong to the excellent turns by master thespians De Niro and Pacino.
De Niro is terrific as the introverted criminal who has sworn to avoid close relationships that could jeopardize his criminal lifestyle. Yet his falling in love clashes against his disciplined nature which makes for intriguing viewing.
With De Niro providing the depth, Pacino supplies the momentum as a flashy extrovert cop who is tenacious in his work, constantly on the street looking for leads while grilling his sources into submission with his wild mood swings.
In a landmark scene in which Pacino and De Niro share the screen for the first time, Hanna and McCauley sit opposite one another in a diner and talk over a cup of coffee. It is an understated yet brilliant scene that shows what drives both men and how - despite the respect they have for each other - neither one will hesitate to kill the other when the moment comes.
Pacino and De Niro have both played their fair share of cops and criminals before, but rarely do we see either of them carry out these roles with material as good as that found in Heat, a crime magnus opus that will forever be known as Michael Mann’s most beloved film.
