FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is an uptight, by-the-book officer who solves her cases with hardly any humility – which doesn`t make her very popular in the office. To snag a coveted promotion, she heads down to Boston to crack a series of grisly murders linked to a drug trafficking ring. Once there, Ashburn butts heads with abrasive, potty-mouthed local police detective Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy).
Despite clocking in at a hefty 117 minutes, The Heat is a jaunty affair that`s tough to dislike. The initially awkward, bristly relationship between Ashburn and Mullins gives the film many great comic moments: say, Mullins letting fly with a string of expletives and a ton of rage when Ashburn unknowingly steals her parking spot. As their friendship and respect for each other grow and deepen, The Heat also develops a heart, and it`s to Feig`s credit that he mostly successfully draws out this softer, more tender emotional undertow while maintaining the film`s sense of sardonic, off-beat humour.
However, there are some elements of The Heat that don`t work as well as others. The script is quite uneven, alternating between inspired (Ashburn and Mullins` insulting of each other) and worrying (cracks about albinos). It`s also hard to shake the feeling that both Ashburn and Mullins are stereotypes of women who have had to eschew their own feminine instincts to make it in a world dominated by men. Some character moments don`t ring very true either. Why, for instance, does Mullins` entire family (including comedy legend Jane Curtin as her disapproving mom) sport seriously hardcore Boston accents when she doesn`t?
What saves the film in moments like these is its pair of absolutely fantastic leading ladies. Bullock and McCarthy both deliver incredibly brave performances, playing the comedy of any particular situation as loudly and outrageously as necessary to make it stick. They share a great, easy chemistry that allows them to rise above any flaws in the script and somehow make it better than it is.
A movie studio has got to be confident of a franchise if it greenlights a sequel before the first movie has even turned up in cinemas, which is precisely what happened with The Heat back in March this year. It`s easy to see why. The narrative and character development is clumsy at times, but the film – and eventual franchise – is saved by the tremendous chemistry and charm of its two leading ladies. Who could ever say no to a second helping of Bullock and McCarthy?
Summary: The Heat is on – thanks largely to a pair of wonderful performers who make up for the shortcomings of its script.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Shawne Wang