Classic Heist Movie

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2013)

I saw this Michael Manning directed film on release in 1995, the story, cast and script make this such a classic of the heist genre. DiNiro, as Neil McCauley, just blows everyone away in every scene he appears and dominates the whole film with his performance as the good but bad guy. DiNiro just does 'intimidating' so well, the scene with Annette Benning when he confronts her after discovering she is having an affair behind his best friends back is just a perfect example, he gives Benning an ultimatum in a style that does not even give her a chance to respond in any way but in the affirmativegreat acting by both of them in a short but important scene in the film.
Pacino, as Vincent Hanna, also hits the spot with his portrayal of the over committed cop, the scene in which his wife complains about his lack of communication and his response that "angst keeps him on edge" says everything about the character he portrays.
However there are a couple of performances which also demand a mention. Kevin Gage playing the bank robber/serial killer Wainegrow gives a darkly sinister performance that sends a shiver down your spine. However one of the more subtle performances that adds so much to the films feel on authentic crime drama is the role played by John Voight as Nate "the fixer", his portrayal of the professional no nonsense crime professional gives the whole crime underworld in this film a realism that gives the rest of the film credibility. Also watch our for a very young Natalie Portman as Hannna's stepdaughter, an accomplished performance at such a young age.
The major scene that everyone recalls from HEAT is the final city bank robbery high powered machine gun shootout with the bank robbers showing obvious military tactics when cornered. However the film is so much more than this one memorable scene, the building of the two main characters Pacino and DeNiro culminates in the meeting of the two in a roadside coffee shop, this scene was based on real life events as The plot is based on Detective Chuck Adamson's pursuit of serial criminal Neil McCauley in the 1960s. The scene in which McCauley abandons a sneak robbery after hearing a noise made by policeman's dropped rifle in a truck, was also based on a real event.
In summary the film is free of crime drama clichés and really builds the characters and makes the viewer engage in various ways with the range of characters the film shows..which is the key to this classic motion picture