Heat - 1995

Warner Bros. Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Forward Pass

Written and directed by Michael Mann

Cast:

• Lt. Vincent Hanna – Al Pacino
• Neil McCauley – Robert De Niro
• Chris Shiherlis – Val Kilmer
• Nate – Jon Voight
• Micheal Cherrito – Tom Sizemore
• Justine Hanna – Diane Venora
• Eady – Amy Brenneman
• Charlene Shiherlis – Ashley Judd
• Sgt. Drucker – Mykelti Williamson
• Detective Casals – Wes Studi
• Bosko – Ted Levine
• Donald Breedan – Dennis Haysbert
• Roger Van Zant – William Fichtner
• Lauren Gustafson – Natalie Portman
• Kelso – Tom Noonan
• Trejo – Danny Trejo

Story: A professional burglary crew that specializes in high end merchandise is pulling jobs in Los Angeles that go off with military precision. The Major Crimes bureau gets the call, and starts nosing around to find the evidence, which is damn little. Lt. Hanna, the chief investigator, is a driven man who places his job above everything in his life, and it is taking its toll. Neil McCauley, the leader of the crew, has nothing in his life, and it is taking its toll. We get a glimpse into the personal lives of all the criminals, their families, and their cold precision. We listen to Lt. Hanna work the informants, and marvel at the way he puts the pieces together to find the crew. But every time he thinks he has a chance, he has no evidence with which to make a case. The drama builds and the plot thickens in this dark suspense story which only Michael Mann could bring to you.

Review: Okay, I have to preface this by telling you I am a huge fan of Micheal Mann, so if my praise for the man seems a bit over the top, you know why. Al Pacino has figured prominently in many of my reviews, so no surprise he delivers another stellar performance in this epic that reunites his with his Godfather II costar, Robert De Niro, who also delivers in his best “tough guy” style. The cast list above may seem a little long, but it could be longer, since there are a few other superb actors in the film, such as Martin Ferrero, Henry Rollins, Hank Azaria, and Jeremy Piven. The list above represents a powerhouse of a cast, though. Ferrero and Noonan have worked with Mann many times before, and I would imagine their inclusion represents a strong suggestion on Mann's part, but they both perform their roles well. This is one of those films where we see the entire canvas, not just one or two parts of the painting. We discover what drives these men, and their women. The settings are perfect, the photography Oscar worthy, and in spite of a run time of just over 2 hours, keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat. Lots of gun play and bad language, a few scenes of with implied sex, so no need to watch this when the kids are up and about. Definitely a collectible, one you will love to watch over and over again.