There is nothing funnier than when opposites attract. In the case of Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) and Mullins (Melissa McCarthy), they are the definition of the words "total opposites". This duo makes the concept of “clashing” an understatement in the uproariously movie, The Heat. The story begins with FBI agent Ashburn wanting a promotion. The problem is that she doesn’t get along with any of her co-workers. Her main problem, however, is her overblown sense of self-worth – in other words, she thinks “she’s all that.” As a result, her boss sends her to Detroit to help out on a case.
Enter Detective Mullins. She basically has the same problems as Ashburn, but she takes it to a whole new level. She is abrasive, lacks respect for her boss, threatens her co-workers with bodily harm, but has the audience rolling on the floor in laughter. When Ashburn and Mullins meet, the sparks and laughter explodes.
Ashburn and Mullins are working together to bring down Larkin, a drug king-pin. The movie takes us through their romps as they attempt to work together to catch the bad guy. One of my favorite scenes is when the pair are in a nightclub restroom trying to prepare prim and proper Ashburn to get close to the bad guy and plant a bug in his phone. Mullins takes it upon herself to manually rip Ashburn’s FBI suit into a sexy outfit, complete with hot pants.
Bullock and Mullins are not the only well-known stars in the film; other well-known actors are great in their smaller supporting roles. Marlon Wayans does an excellent job as Detroit field staff, Levy. His scenes in the movie are small, but enjoyable. Remember Jane Curtin back from the early Saturday Night Live days? She plays Mrs. Mullins. John A. Baker, also known as Spoken Reasons, is hysterical.
While the movie definitely does a great job with the comedy, if you’re sensitive to a “little” foul language – this movie may be a little over the top for you (actually way over the top). I’m not sure that McCarthy has any lines in the movie that doesn’t include an offensive word. If you can look past it, however, you’ll find it quite enjoyable.
Overall, The Heat is a hilariously funny film. The main characters have first-rate chemistry as the typical buddy cop pair. The buddy-cop premise is nothing new, even with the surprise and predictable ending, but it’s up to the actors to bring it to life and Bullock and McCarthy do it with gusto.
Rating: R (This is definitely a capital R for language and crude content, and there is a bit of violence thrown in)
Running Time: 117 minutes
Director: Paul Feig
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The Heat
I own this movie as part of my personal action DVD collection. I was not compensated to review this film.
