Bullock's back as Ashburn, an uptight, lonely, would-be-top-of-her-game-if-it-wasn't-for-all-the-men-who-hate-her FBI agent. This time she's accompanied by Bridesmaid'sMelissa McCarthy as Mullins, a slobbish, loud-mouthed, angry, rude, violent, humiliating Boston cop. Both have hearts of gold, obviously. They're forced to pair up to hunt down a drug dealer in a fairly typical buddy comedy except unusually, this time the buddies are women. Directed by Paul Feig, also known for Bridesmaids, they are some decent laughs in this courtesy of Sandra Bullock but the biggest disappointment for me was McCarthy. I just don't find her act funny anymore. We were shocked and hugely entertained by her gassy, overly honest, dog-napping character in Bridesmaids and her cameo in This is 40 was the best thing in it.
Melissa McCarthy scene stealing in This is 40
By Identity Thief, I was getting a little bored of her brash, extrovert acting style and now it's been flogged to death, I will not look forward to seeing another film of hers, until she can prove that she's not a one-trick pony. What The Heat did achieve was to remind me of how much I enjoy watching Sandra Bullock. Even if a film is a little predictable and not overtly hilarious, she always brings a charisma and and a comic edge which enable me to watch her over and over again, The Proposal being a case in point.
The Heat Trailer
There aren't many scenes in The Heat which stand out as fantastic set pieces but when Ashburn meets Mullins' family, it's genuinely brilliant, obviously improvised and Bullock definitely gets the raw end of the deal. Scenes where Mullins continuously insults an albino cop are uncomfortable and unnecessary but we're made to feel that it's ok because he's a misogynist. It's not ok. Marlon Wayans is potential love interest material for Ashburn and he is sexy and slick enough for me to want to see more of him. Academy Award nominated Demián Bichir (who starred in 2011's A Better Life) is underused as Ashburn's boss - he's stern but likeable and rounds off the supporting cast nicely. It's a solid comedy but relies a little too much on the gag of a double female-led film, which shouldn't be an anomaly but the norm.
3*
