Cop comedies are genuinely a wonder, they’ve been around for so long, and yet none of them have particularly stood out. They’re always funny, they have the same trends and cliches consistently throughout the genre, and they’re never any good. They simply don’t bring anything new to the table, and the characters are essentially archetypical retreading of the same ground. I must say though, no matter the visual language being used in a buddy cop film, having Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy together was a bold choice, and one that might have saved The Heat (2013) from being a mediocre film.
How to Download The Heat
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like Sandra Bullock, check her out in Ocean’s 8, Bird Box, or The Lost City. Melissa McCarthy’s fans should see her, on the other hand, in The Hangover Part III or Ghostbusters (2016).
The Movie Review
Sarah Ashburn of the FBI is a highly competent investigator in the big apple, New York City. However, her coworkers dislike her for her haughty demeanor, and she doesn’t really realize it. She meets Shannon Mullins, a brazen and disobedient police officer with the Boston Police Department while on a brief assignment in Boston.
Ashburn’s strict code of conduct contrasts with Mullins’ rough and brutal approach to law enforcement, so they don’t really get along too well, and kind of resent each other for a moment. However, Hale, Ashburn’s FBI boss, puts pressure on her to join Mullins, and Ashburn grudgingly accepts. Thus begins a film about cops that are completely opposite and dislike each other but must team up in order to stop a crime that’s bigger than both of them.
Bullock is an effective straight to the nasty mouthed McCarthy, and I found that to be the funniest part of the film. The plot is nothing exceptional and some of the humor centers around police violence and vulgar language, of course, but it’s still funny in a satirical and ironic sort of way. Although the plot is fairly conventional for the genre, Larkin’s identity is still somewhat of a twist and it did make me go ‘huh’.
This kind of movie may either be largely action with a few comedic moments, or it can make comedy its main selling point. This one falls firmly into the second category, as the majority of the laughs come from Melissa McCarthy’s crude portrayal of Mullin. Though I think that the character’s incessant use of profanity may turn off some viewers.
Despite having to mostly play the serious and upstanding character, Sandra Bullock does a good job as Ashburn. She is rude and arrogant, but she’s great at her job and she knows it. As the movie goes on, both begin to develop a greater relationship.
There is a fair bit of action, including one scene where Ashburn is stabbed in the leg that will make you laugh quite a lot if you’re into darker comedy. However, I do think that the action isn’t the main meat of the film, it’s the comedy, and it’s pretty good when it works. Although, when the comedy doesn’t work, it can really make you cringe throughout the whole experience. I don’t really enjoy the way they’ve showcased action in this film, especially due to the bland and boring camera work and presentation.
The Visuals
The film looks as plain as a potato, for the most part, it’s got essentially nothing of uniqueness or style going for it. The only stylistic choice it has made is casting Sandra Bullock, who brings a ton of glamour to it, but the camera work and boring color grading make it as simplistic looking of a film as you would get.
The Music
The soundtrack and the music are also suffering from this exact same problem, where it’s just the same bunch of pop and rock and roll tunes being repeated without much vibrance.
The Verdict
Overall, if you’re someone that isn’t easily offended, I’d suggest you give it a watch as it might bring you a decent chuckle. I liked the action choreography, but it lacked the presentation and the flair you would expect from a cinematic experience. The jokes are on and off, some are hits and some are clear misses. There’s not a lot going on with the story, it’s simple and not very well written, but it’s got some heart to it and Sandra Bullock makes it worth watching.
