HEAT
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1995 Michael John Legeros
(WB) Directed by Michael Mann Written by Michael Mann Cast Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for violence and language) Running Time 152 minutes Reviewed at Mission Valley Cinemas, Raleigh, NC (15DEC95)
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Wow. Director Michael Mann's epic crime story is an instant qualifier for the category of "year's best." The three-hour tale of cops and robbers has been fashioned from the oldest of stories, but Mann puts a provocative psychologist twist on it. He focuses on the *inner* lives of two obsessively driven men: master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and LA cop Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). They spend almost the entire movie apart, an irony that isn't lost on anyone before or behind the camera. Pacino and De Niro have never shared a scene together, despite starring as father and son in THE GODFATHER, PART II. When they finally meet, in the middle of the movie, for an impromptu coffee-shop conver- sation, it's a quiet moment of impressive magnitude.
Despite the implications of the punchy title, Mann's extended cat-and-mouse chase is not about testosterone-poisoned action heroes. These guys are just out to do their jobs; each more methodical than maniac, or so they would rationalize. They know they have a job to do, and that some people might get hurt as a result. (Such as their women-- the wives, daughters, and girlfriends that the story poignantly portrays.) The overall tone is cool; perhaps too cool for some. The dolby-enchanced set- pieces, the ones most likely shown in the ads, are few and far between. A heavy-artillery shoot-out on the downtown streets of LA is something to see, though. Mann, ever the thinking director, allows us to catch our breath. Just as he allows his characters their own moments of silence.
The superior photography, by Dante Spinotti, is one of the many technical credits that deserves Oscar recognition. As he's shown in THIEF, MANHUNTER, and THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, as well as in his two TV series "Miami Vice" and "Crime Story," Michael Mann is no slouch on style. Nor on substance. He's written reasonable roles for Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight (!), Val Kilmer, and Ashley Judd. The supporting players are an equally impressive lot. The whammo cast also includes Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Amy Brenneman, Mykelti Williamson, Natalie Portman, and Tom Noonan. And, since we *are* in LA, both rocker Henry Rollins and rapper Tone-Loc wander through for a scene or two.
Grade: A
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Michael J. Legeros - Raleigh, NC legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w) Check triangle.movies for weekly reviews from MOVIE HELL
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