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| Melissa McCarthy & Sandra Bullock |
McCarthy and Bullock serve up lukewarm, predictable laughs in "The Heat"
"The Heat" is a standard fare, predictable and profane female police buddy-buddy comedy that's made better by it's two mega-watt stars in Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock and Emmy-winner Melissa McCarthy though overall it's a lukewarm affair. Uptight FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) is paired with testy Boston cop Shannon Mullins (McCarthy, walking off with the movie) in order to take down a ruthless drug lord. The hitch: neither woman has ever had a partner -- or a friend for that matter. Directed by Paul Feig, who also helmed another popular McCarthy comedy, "Bridesmaids" and written by "Parks and Recreation" scribe Katie Dippold, "The Heat" is serviceable, medicocre fare with a by-the-numbers plot that's been seen in this genre since Eddie Murphy's "48 Hours." Bullock, the uptight cop, paired with McCarthy's brusque cop, with the two initially hating each other and becoming pals by the end of the movie as they bring down the bad guys, is not exactly a spoiler alert for anyone who has seen the ubiquitous trailers for the film recently. The leads performances, much like the film itself, is something you've seen before: McCarthy's off-putting bully routine is something she's becoming quickly typecast for (though one riff about her bosses' privates are funny) and Bullock is worse off, playing essentially the same character from her "Miss Congeniality" movies, which weren't exactly classics. However, it is nice seeing two actors play against type: serious actors Oscar-nominee Demian Bichir play lighthearted and comedian Marlon Wayans play toned down though the script gives them little to do, while it's more fun seeing "Saturday Night Live" vet Jane Curtain, perfectly cast in a tiny role McCarthy's onscreen Mom (another nice touch: McCarthy's captain is played by Tom Wilson, aka Biff from the "Back to the Future" movies). Much like McCarthy and Feig's "Bridesmaids," this runs a little too long for what it is - buddy comedy - and about 15-20 minutes could've easily been chopped off (one particular scene with a choking patron in Denny's is really unnecessary). "The Heat" is absolutely nothing new in terms of comedy (or in terms of feminism for that matter): it takes a simple, often low-brow approach and you know where it'll end up, and while peppered with a few fun moments, mostly provided by McCarthy, it's largely unmemorable. Worth a look, if only to see two talented actresses play a foul-mouthed, mediocre version of "Cagney and Lacey." In a summer, not to mention a year, in need of comedies, the mildly enjoyable "The Heat" will have to do for now.
Wes's Grade: C
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