Sunday, July 21, 2013

Movie Review: The Heat

Melissa McCarthy, the Chris Farley of her time, and Sandra Bullock star as a pair of dissimilar law enforcement agents who bond over beating the bad guys in The Heat.

It clearly deserves an R rating for McCarthy's profanity-spewing rough-edged character, and more than a few violent images. But make no mistake about it, this is a comedy through and through, one that Dena gave 4 stars out of 5.

The beginning and ending thirds of the movie have the most compelling action, as we meet McCarthy's Boston-born persona, her salt-of-the-earth family, and her crime-solving brilliance. As well, Bullock's mix of smarts and clean-cut yet abrasive personality have her both on the cusp of FBI promotion and entrenched in a lonely existence. As the two grow closer to each other, their brand of vigilante justice hunts down drug kingpins and clashes with other law enforcement officials to a dramatic finish.

The river of physical gags and snarky, cutting one-liners that flows through the story keeps it moving in most places. This one is just as easily enjoyed from the living room as it would be in the theater, and while it's no first-date movie or fitting for those easily offended, it does bring out McCarthy's comedic genius and packed the theater that we were in after several weeks running, so it will give you something to talk about.

No comments: