Heat

This gritty cat and mouse chase between homicide detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) and professional thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) is played out on the streets of LA. McCauley and his gang attempt to undertake the heist of their lives robbing a major LA bank in broad daylight. They are unprepared for the relentless quest of Hanna to bring them to justice for murder. With complications arising and Hanna providing the "heat" the plan breaks down with tragic consequences.

Heat includes one of the most spectacular street shoot outs and is famous for being the first film in which the two giants, Pacino and De Niro, appear on screen in the same shot (they both starred in The Godfather Part Two but never appeared in the same scene).  The great
director Michael Mann (Last of the Mohicans, Collateral) portrays LA's seedier side with style and realism. Mann carefully avoids one dimensional characters by portraying lives beyond the roles of the thief or cop. The breakdown of Hanna's marriage, McCauley's loneliness and the domestic battles between Chris Shiherlis (Kilmer) and his wife (Judd) offer useful background and credibility to these characters. Heat is often brutal and rarely glamorises the detective or the criminals' job. Covering themes of obsession, loneliness and sacrifice Heat is a taut thriller with two exceptional actors at the helm.

Helen Appleyard