GREAT FILMS: Heat (1995)

GREAT FILMS : HEAT (1995)
Produced, Written, and Directed by Michael Mann

A group of actors in the 60's and 70's revolutionized acting in the movies. They changed the ideas most people had of movie stars, that they don't always have to be tall, dark, and handsome. They can become characters and still get top-billing. Many say they were directly influenced by the manic acting of Marlon Brando in the 50's, but I like to give them all of the credit. Among others, there was Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, and Gene Hackman. But the two that were probably most burnt into the social consciousness were Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Connected by the Godfather films, it wasn't until 1995 that they graced the screen together in one of the most anticipated films of the 90's... and one of the best.

It was like a gift from God, arguably two of the greatest actors in film history in one movie. But what some people didn't realize (and what they still don't realize) is that the film is by-and-large an epic ensemble performance. But it can't be denied that the film's story is headlined by the characters of Vincent Hanna (Pacino) and Neil McCauley (DeNiro). Hanna is obsessive homicide detective in Los Angeles, and Neil McCauley is one of the world's most skilled thieves. With McCauley planning his last big score, Hanna is already on his tail, even at times admiring McCauley's masterwork. The cat-and-mouse game played between them is the basis of the greatest crime drama of the 1990's.

The film is helmed by Michael Mann, known now for his films The Insider and Collateral, but known back then for his immensely popular Miami Vice television series. By now, we know Mann is a master of slick, L.A. crime capers, but what many didn't expect with his work on Heat is his ability to weave such a complex character-driven film filled with such disturbed and interesting personalities. The film established Mann as a filmmaker, and still stands as his most harrowing, brilliant film to date. The story, written by Mann as well, goes beyond cops-n-robbers and delves deep into the psychology of the stock characters many films tend to take for granted, and in the end, we're left with a film that blurs the line of good and evil brilliantly.

First, let's talk about the enormous list of characters. For Neil, there's his rough-around-the-edges protege Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) and his strong-willed, trustworthy wife Charlene (Ashley Judd). There's also Neil's hothead associate Michael (Tom Sizemore), and the new guy they bring in on the job, Waingro (Kevin Gage), who is a little too sporadic even for this crew. In the film, Neil also meets Eady (Amy Brenneman), a Southern graphic designer. Eady catches Neil's eye, and very soon grabs hold of his heart, even to the point that he is willing to give up his life in crime. One more job, and he can use the money to build a life for the two of them. The work Neil does throughout the film concealing his criminal life from Eady is work of Chaplin-esque tightrope-walking.

Then, we have Vincent's group of friends. There is his wife Justine (Diane Venora), his third, who can't seem to break through Vincent's obsessive work ethic. She struggles to get close to Vincent, but also struggles to manage her disturbed teenage daughter Lauren (Natalie Portman). There's Vincent's main crew in crime-busting: including Drucker (Mykelti Williamson), Bosco (Ted Levine), and Casals (Wes Studi). Other characters weave in and out of the story, such as Neil's somewhat consigliari Nate (Jon Voight), a bad-luck former criminal at the wrong place at the wrong time named Donald (Dennis Haysbert), and a egotistical business head with an eye for corrupt crime named Van Zant (William Fichtner).

The main plot point of the film is a major bank robbery that Neil plans worth upwards of $12 million, and Hanna's preemptive attempts to stop it. But what the story is really about is how these characters, seemingly on two different sides of the law, almost depend on each other for their own existence. The film's peak comes in a scene where Vincent invites Neil to have some coffee. The two know each other to a point, they know that they're on different sides of the same fight, but instead of a showdown between the angel and the devil, we are previewed to a conversation. The conversation is a meeting between two men who are the best at what they do. They respect each other, and each other's ability, but they know in the end, one of them has to go down.

In a decade filled with exciting crime films like Speed and True Lies, Heat stands alone, not only because of its epic-stature, but because of the brilliant performances of its lead stars. Pacino, a master of intensity and street-wise wisdom, plays Vincent with the energy of the 1970's Pacino. He runs, he shoots, but more than anything, he obsesses, allowing every other aspect of his life take a backseat to his work. DeNiro had already played numerous criminals in his partnership with Martin Scorsese, but takes a different approach to Neil. Known mostly for his ferocity, DeNiro plays to McCauley's insecurities; he's stripped-down, questioning his lifestyle for the first time, and hopelessly connected to Eady, whom he knows his life won't allow.

Heat is a magnum opus. A masterpiece of stylized filmmaking, and a labyrinth of complicated personas, the film takes its time with its 172-minute running time and pays off. With this film, you don't get a run-of-the-mill bank heist film, but a tale that makes the all-too-forgotten statement that there really is no big difference between good and evil, becuase there is no good without evil. There is never a dull moment, or a moment where a character plays to some cliche of the crime film genre. The movie solidified Michael Mann as a legit filmmaker (perhaps the best pure movie director, if the criteria is style), and brought together a dream pairing of two of history's finest screen actors. Nearly thirteen years later, the film still stands as a classic in modern cinema.