The Heat Review

The Heat

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The Heat is here to prove to all the male-dominated buddy-cop comedies that women can do it just as good as the boys.

The Heat tells the story of two very different ladies. Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is an uptight FBI agent who is the best at what she does, but because of her cocky and intense personality, she does not work well with others. Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) is a cop who might be crazy. She uses extremely violent tactics to take down bad guys and curses enough to make a hardcore rapper blush. Of course, she doesn't work well with others either. Then comes the day when Ashburn and Mullins -- two polar opposites who hate each other -- must come to their senses and work together to take down a powerful drug lord. In the process, they learn more about each other and bond in a strange fashion, becoming an unlikely duo with much at stake.

The Heat mainly works because of the following reason: McCarthy. Melissa McCarthy is one of the finest comedic actresses of her generation and proves it with what might be her best performance yet. Here, she proves just how brilliant and fearless of a comic she is. She can take a single joke about her boss' genitals and make a running gag out of it that is hysterical. She can make a physical interrogation scene involving a handgun and a bullet absolutely riotous. She can do physical comedy like no other, with her awkward running and fighting techniques inducing some belly-laughs. And what's most impressive is her verbal comedic skills. She curses a mile-a-minute and delivers punchlines with such tremendous gusto that you'll die laughing. Her improvisational skills are through-the-roof on top of it all. McCarthy is truly a gem who gives 110% with everything that she does, and she is what makes the movie a blast.

All of this isn't meant to discredit Bullock, who is nearly equal to McCarthy. Bullock is almost reprising her role as the tough cop in Miss Congeniality but reinvents herself enough to stay fresh. Bullock is a master of awkward physical and verbal humor. She makes uncomfortable facial expressions and delivers her lines in a dead-pan fashion that is hilarious. She is a more subtle comedic actress and isn't quite as showy as the scene-stealing McCarthy. Nevertheless, she is excellent in this film as well.

Director Paul Feig directs The Heat with a knack for humor and comedic timing. He knows when to amp up the jokes and when to dial them down. He knows when is the appropriate moment for his actors to improv and go off-the-rails. He understands these characters well and develops a surprisingly touching friendship between Ashburn and Mullins that is effective without being hokey. All of this proves how well Feig works with his actors and how strong he is at drawing out spectacular performances.

What surprised me the most about The Heat is its action. I thought it might be stupid and dumbed-down, but it's actually very well-done. Feig directs some interesting set pieces that pack a punch while sustaining both humor and tension. There are some slightly shocking, violent moments that are very entertaining. So, mixed in with the humor is some surprisingly fun action that is lacking in so many of today's female-led comedies.

Despite all of the great things going on with The Heat, I thought to myself after it was finished, "Would this movie have been successful if McCarthy and Bullock weren't starring in it?" The answer is no. Katie Dippold's script has a lot of good things going for it: it mixes dirty humor with wild action and surprising heart regarding female relationships. However, is it perfect? No. It's a little too long and could have used some trimming. 2 hours for a comedy? I don't think that's really necessary. Deserving of more scrutiny is some of the jokes -- on occasion, they are neither fresh nor funny. McCarthy and Bullock really sell the majority of these lines, but if they weren't the lead actresses in the film, the whole movie would have really fallen apart and been a subpar comedy. Less talented and less fearless actresses would have undoubtedly failed with the comedic timing and delivery. Thank goodness for a blessed cast because without these two hilarious women, The Heat would have been a letdown.

While The Heat isn't the funniest comedy of the year, it's a really great one that consistently delivers. The gags are hilarious, and the ensemble cast -- including some of the comic actors in smaller roles -- is sensationally funny. Most impressively, the chemistry between McCarthy and Bullock is some of the best I've ever seen in a comedy. Overall, this is superbly-acted, finely-directed film that deserves to be seen. It's a great time. Three stars out of four.