The Heat

Melissa McCarthy Sandra Bullock

The Heat was supposed to be one of the funniest movies of the summer, with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock headlining. Unfortunately, even though they are both talented actresses, the script was just so-so, and because of that, the film is one of the more uneven comedies coming to theaters this summer; some parts were hilarious, but others were just okay.

Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) is known for being a smug perfectionist, and when she finds out that her boss (Demian Bichir) is being promoted, she wants his job. He has reservations about her, however, and sends her to Boston to try and arrest a drug kingpin. While there, she has to work with Detective Shannon Mullins (McCarthy), a brutish woman who thinks that anything can be accomplished by force rather than questioning. Ashburn and Mullins have exact opposite personalities, but they must work with each other to try and solve the case before the DEA solves it, since they are now claiming they have jurisdiction in Boston.

I liked McCarthy and Bullock as a comedy duo, but I have to say I enjoyed Bullock as a FBI agent a lot more in 2000's Miss Congeniality, which continues to be one of my favorite movies - she was hilarious in it. The reason I say that The Heat's script is uneven is that parts were great, but others tried to be funny and did not succeed, which makes the movie less enjoyable as a whole. Marlon Wayans, Thomas F. Wilson, Nathan Corddry, and Joey McIntyre also have roles in this movie, and are fine, but for the most part it's the McCarthy/Bullock show, which means that the script needed to be stronger for their lines and actions.

Maybe see this movie. It's not the worst comedy out in theaters right now, I'm sure, but it's also not the funniest. I've also heard that a sequel is already in production, which means that the studio is banking that this film will hit it big at the box office - as it probably will, due to McCarthy and Bullock fans - but I'm not sure if I would tune in for a second installment. Make sure to stay through a bit of the credits for a post-scene which is pretty funny, and keep a look out for Ben Falcone, McCarthy's real-life husband (as well as the flight marshal in Bridesmaids), in a cameo that was also good for a laugh.

The Heat is in theaters today, June 28th, and is rated R with a runtime of 117 minutes. 3 stars out of 5.

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