Review: 'The Heat' Girl Power Is In Full Throttle

Film review by Tom Hunt

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Hollywood, in recent years, have struggled to give women in the film industry their dues, and while they've made baby steps towards it, recent buddy-cop comedy The Heat is a big sign that they're finally moving in the right direction, and so are we as an audience for packing into the cinema in full support (if you did that, then well done you!).

The Heat film poster.

The Heat stars the hilarious Melissa McCarthy – one of the top female comics at the moment (minus Mike & Molly which I just didn't find funny) and the ever consistent Sandra Bullock as the mismatched pair. Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) is an uptight F.B.I Agent who doesn't work very well as part of a team, she's a bit of a know it all and feels she's a cut above the rest. Detective Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) is a wise-cracking hard as nails street cop who doesn't play well with others. The two are reluctantly brought together and forced to work with each other – as is always the case in these ever joyful buddy-cop films – to bring down a dangerous drug lord trying to take over the streets of Chicago. They've got to crack the case while being unsure of who to trust, including a couple of DEA Agents Craig (Dan Bakkedahl) and Adam (Taran Killam) who they keep having run-ins with, to of course comical outcomes. With Ashburn's intelligence and Mullins' no nonsense street smart attitude the two combustible heroines may just be able to put aside their differences to stop a common enemy.

To put it plainly, The Heat is fantastic. It's a refreshing take on the typical 'two characters who couldn't be more opposite' buddy-cop genre. It takes the formula we know and simply allows these two talented women to showcase to the world that females can drive a film just as well as the guys can. While there's a little less action than I was hoping for, the comedy is top notch, with McCarthy stealing the show by far. Her tongue in cheek style is a perfect opposite to Bullocks up tight, nervous, socially awkward Agent portrayal that we've seen her thrive in before (Miss Congeniality). Bullock only really gets going half way into the film, the point being she's the butt of the jokes – allowing McCarthy to run wild on her. Thomas F. Wilson's short but sweet performances is to be credited, as the mousey Captain who pretty much gets bullied by Mullins, a stark contrast to the persona most cinema fans will know him from (Biff from Back To The Future). If there is a sequel (which is already been rumoured) more of the Captain would be welcomed.

If there is to be a sequel, which in this genre of film does happen – it could after-all become the female led equivalent of the Lethal Weapons – then more would be nice. Some nice foundations have been laid down. The core characteristics (which makes them so loveable) can be kept, Mullins' hard-ass approach to Bullocks more conservative approach – it never changed in Lethal Weapon between Riggs and Murdoch so it doesn't have to change here either. More action would be welcomed for the second film. We've seen Sandra Bullock kick some serious ass before, in-fact it could be argued she's one of the leading actresses today that injected some much needed feminine power into films. And with McCarthy's character of Mullins set as a tough as nails 'doesn't take crap' from anyone type, it's not too hard to imagine her throwing down in the future. There's also relationships to explore but I won't ruin too much for those who haven't seen the film.

While we all know the story by now, it's the faces of the leads that's really the focal point of the film. It was an experiment, and it was a risky experiment too – but one that has absolutely paid off, and I for one am glad. I seems like it was played a little safe, sticking mostly to the comedy to first see if audiences would take to the film without giving too much too soon, but there are a couple of genuinely gruesome moments in there. McCarthy and Bullock have just as much chemistry as the likes of Gibson and Glover, which proves for a very successful and hilarious film that shows females can kick just as much ass as their male counterparts, and have just as much fun while doing it.