When I first saw previews for this movie, I thought it was another Miss Congeniality sequel, since Sandra Bullock was again playing an FBI agent. I also wondered if this movie took place in the same universe as White Chicks, because Marlon Wayans again plays an FBI agent. However, it’s not affiliated with either of those previous movies. The Heat is a different take on the buddy-cop movie, since the cops in this one are females, who, of course, don’t get along.
Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is a New York FBI agent. She is a fantastic agent, but she’s also a snarky know-it all who is not very popular with her peers. Sarah has a pretty sad life. She “borrows” her neighbor’s cat to snuggle with. She doesn’t have any friends, and whenever she approaches one of her co-workers, they are visibly annoyed (cue the eye roll). When she is up for a possible promotion, her boss (Demián Bichir) sends her to Boston on a high-profile case, to catch a drug lord who has a penchant for cutting people into pieces to send a message. Sarah’s new boss in Boston is Levy (Wayans) who just might have a thing for Sarah.
Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) is a Boston cop. She has a feisty temper, and a very interesting way of dealing with a man she arrests for soliciting prostitution. She doesn’t really get along with her boss, Captain Woods (Thomas F. Wilson – Biff Tannen, ya’ll!!). In fact, she spends a lot of time “looking for his balls” (hilarious). Shannon is part of a big Irish family, but they don’t care for her, because she put her brother Jason (Michael Rapaport) in jail. (side note – Joey McIntyre plays another one of her brothers. Joey from NKOTB!! OMG!!!). When Jason is released from jail, Shannon is worried that he will go back to his old, drug-dealing ways, and get mixed-up with Larkin (the aforementioned drug kingpin that the women are looking for).
There are several outrageous scenes in The Heat. As the girls are investigating their case, they have to interrogate witnesses, go undercover, and even run into an albino DEA agent, Craig (Dan Bakkedahl) and his partner Adam (Taran Killam) who do NOT want to share this case with them. Both women are great at their jobs, but they have to find a way to work together to save the day.
Bullock and McCarthy are fantastic together. They really played well off each other. I would definitely like to see this duo in future comedies!! The movie did run a little long (almost two hours), but overall, The Heat is a hilariously funny tale about, more than anything else, family. This one is R-rated, so do yourselves a favor and leave the kiddies at home.
