Heat (1995)
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A high-stakes game of cat and mouse unfolds between a relentless LAPD detective and a professional thief in the sprawling landscape of Los Angeles.
The story
In the gritty urban landscape of Los Angeles, LAPD Robbery Homicide Detective Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is a dedicated lawman struggling with the personal toll of his career. His life becomes increasingly intertwined with the professional life of Neil McCauley, a calculating and detached career thief. After a high-stakes robbery involving a crew of professionals, the two men find themselves on opposite sides of the law. As the investigation intensifies, the line between their professional roles and personal lives begins to blur, forcing both men to confront the consequences of their choices and the reality of their respective lives in a world where the pursuit of success often comes at a heavy cost.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Neil McCauley and his crew of professional thieves execute a robbery of $1.6 million in bearer bonds. During the heist, a member of the crew, Waingro, reveals himself as a serial killer, leading to a violent confrontation. Meanwhile, LAPD Detective Vincent Hanna leads a team to investigate the robbery. The investigation leads to a tense standoff where Hanna and McCauley meet for coffee and discuss their mutual respect and the isolation of their lives. Following a series of escalating events, including a failed heist at a precious metals depository and a violent shootout following a bank robbery, the lives of both men are further complicated. McCauley's crew is decimated, and he eventually tracks down and kills his enemies. Hanna, meanwhile, faces a personal crisis involving his family. The film culminates in a final confrontation at the Los Angeles International Airport, where Hanna and McCauley face off on the tarmac. In a final act of violence, Hanna shoots and kills McCauley as he attempts to flee to New Zealand.
- First release year
- 1995
- Runtime (minutes)
- 170
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Mann
- Writers
- Michael Mann · writer
- Cast and characters
- Al Pacino · Vincent Hanna; Robert De Niro · Neil McCauley; Tom Sizemore · Chris Shiherlis; Diane Venora · Eady; Amy Brenneman · Justine; Ashley Judd · Lauren; Mykelti Williamson · Waingro; Wes Studi · Gilbert Trejo; Ted Levine · Michael Cheritto; Jon Voight · Nate; Val Kilmer · Don Breedan
- Genres
- crime drama; action
- Themes
- professionalism vs. personal life; isolation; the nature of crime
- Tone and mood
- gritty; tense; melancholy
- Premise and plot tags
- heist; police procedural; neo-noir
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the true story of criminal Neil McCauley and the pursuit by Detective Chuck Adamson.
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, praised for its direction and performances, and is considered one of the most influential crime films of all time.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 154; Metacritic · score: 76 · scale: 100 · review count: 22
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Action/Adventure Film · Nominated; Saturn Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nominated; MTV Movie Award · Most Desirable Male · Nominated; Youth in Film Award · Best Young Supporting Actress · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film features the first on-screen appearance of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together.; The film's production included a three-month weapons-training curriculum for the actors using live ammunition.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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