Film: The Heat

Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Drama
Source: USA (2013)
Rating: R
Location/Format: Blu-ray
Grade: B

Paul Feig doesn't quite have the magic here that he had in Bridesmaids, but he does have Melissa McCarthy and her hilariously filthy mouth, and for most of the movie, that is enough.

While McCarthy seems to have recently risen to prominence, Sandra Bullock has made a mini career out of playing strait-laced FBI agents, and she does so again here, though she is willing to go pretty unflattering this time around, as repeated jokes are made about her age, her body, her aloofness. I respect that she's willing to let herself be the butt of a few jokes, not just make a Miss Congeniality 3 where she loosens up and everyone falls in love with her.

But really, Bullock isn't the attraction here. Melissa McCarthy is one of the funniest women in show business these days, and I like that the film does not make her the butt of the joke physically. I mean it does (her clothes, a few gags that boil down to "fat girl does physical stuff") but the mean body comments are about Bullock. McCarthy pities her, her life, her repressed persona, and she is free and open with who she is--to her benefit. For example, she is repeatedly approached by men who she has slept with and want to see her again. I thought maybe they would do something with that thread, but they didn't, and somehow I'm ok with that. Her issues with men are not necessarily what needs addressing, the movie says, and it's definitely not about how men see her. In fact, she seems to be set up a bit as a feminist icon, such as when she busts Buster Bluth early in the film for picking up a prostitute. 

I mean, she's pretty awesome. One of my problems with the film is the inconsistent portrayal of Bullock's character (is she good at her job or bad? I'm not clear), but McCarthy is consistently the dominant force in the room. Everyone respects her--even fears her--and her swearing like a sailor is just one more sign of her dominance.

The plot is all over the place, about twenty minutes too long, and like all buddy cop movies, the rules and the actual law don't seem to apply once they get going, but I'm happy to see McCarthy get more roles, and I'd continue to watch movies built around her talents and sense of humor. The movie's a mess, but it's a fun mess. A good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Alternate Film Title: "Buddy Cop Cliches: Now with Girls!"