Sunday, January 08, 2017

Movie review - "Heat" (1995) ****1/2 (re-viewing)

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Some random thoughts from re-watching this film
1) Al Pacino's hair is really outstanding
2) I've never eaten ham as finely cut as Pacino's performance in this film. Not a criticism. It's really outstanding ham.
3) Surely one of the best endings of all time.
4) I always totally forget Natalie Portman is in this film and has quite a meaty role.
5) The Dennis Haysbert subplot is brilliant and really holds up.
6) There are few more thankless support parts than the roles of Al Pacino's support crew. Unlike Bobby de Niro's three dimensional awesome crew, the non-Al cops just spit forth exposition and ask Al questions. If they weren't cast with Village People diversity (black man, Indian, white guy with moustache) I'd have trouble telling them apart. There's some random young guy who hangs out the back who looks like he's there on work experience.
7) The Waingro subplot is by necessity really dark and unpleasant but it still remains not-fun to watch.
8) So much stunningly good acting from everyone - I don't think Val Kilmer was ever better...
9) Al Pacino takes a hell of a risk shooting at Tom Sizemore. Usually when this happens in real life the kid ends up dead.
I've seen this film maybe ten times now. I do fast forward through some bits now. But what a masterpiece.

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