{"id":2694,"date":"2013-08-02T16:54:30","date_gmt":"2013-08-02T16:54:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=2694"},"modified":"2013-08-02T16:54:30","modified_gmt":"2013-08-02T16:54:30","slug":"the-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/the-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"The Heat ****"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sandra Bullock as another uptight FBI agent sounds suspiciously like a Gracie Hart rendition from the Miss Congeniality<\/em> films. True, she dons another dark suit and comfy shoes for her new role as social pariah Sarah Ashburn. What\u2019s of greater interest is whether the on-screen chemistry between her and Bridemaids<\/em> star Melissa McCarthy pays off, what with two big personalities at play. The answer is extremely well and highly entertaining as they feed of each other\u2019s character\u2019s quirky points. It\u2019s all done with a 70s good\/bad cop flair to it (queue the titles), proving again how uncompromising and seriously funny female comedians can be and how accessible to any audience.<\/p>\n

Ashburn is so good in her FBI role, she arrogantly thinks she\u2019s in line for promotion, but her social skills leave a lot to be desired. Her boss sends her to the tough streets of Boston to track down a drug lord. The trouble is, she has to work with Boston\u2019s finest \u2013\u00a0and baddest \u00ad\u2013 female cop, Sharon Mullins (McCarthy). Ashburn is about to experience a completely off-the-record and personal way of cleaning the streets of perps.<\/p>\n

Unlike Miss Congeniality<\/em> this isn\u2019t a chick flick. The world of female-cast comedies \u2013\u00a0Bridesmaids<\/em> included, which was directed by Paul Feig who directed this \u2013 is changing the landscape forever, smartly revelling in ladette behaviour and coarse retorts. But the \u2018girls behaving badly\u2019 routine in The Heat<\/em> is done with a lot of heart and raw emotion that it balances out any offending vulgarity some might feel. In fact, the exchanges between the leads are both laugh-out-loud hilarious and painfully ironic. It\u2019s the kind of film that pivots on a strong comic pairing or would have fallen flat, especially as the plot is a carbon copy of many a cop drama.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actually McCarthy\u2019s time to shine, with Bullock effortlessly providing her notorious uptight and prissy screen stance for McCarthy to play off and with \u2013 Bullock stepping back from the limelight to play the straighter role. The duo also marries well as both play up characters with alarming personality traits that enhance rather than muddy the comedy value. The bar scene is an absolute tonic to watch as McCarthy and Bullock are left by Feig to improvise. Even McCarthy\u2019s brash-handed response to everything as Mullins never gets tiresome and is beautifully timed to show once again how she\u2019s top of her game at the moment for delivering shocks and giggles simultaneously.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, The Heat<\/em> is predictable in outcome \u2013 there\u2019s nothing new trialled here \u2013 but it\u2019s the riotous interim to that end that\u2019s deliciously funny to watch unfold and done with such comedic skill that there\u2019s no surprise a sequel is on the cards.<\/p>\n

4\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

Follow on Twitter<\/a>
\n