Women in ‘Heat’
By: Tom Trott
Tags: Features, Culture, Feminism, Movies, Film

Justine

Justine (Diane Venora) is married to Vincent, a senior police detective. It’s her second marriage, his third. She tries to connect with Vincent but doesn’t feel she sees enough of him to achieve that; as their only moments of intimacy are when they have sex. She’s frequently stood up and abandoned by Vincent in the service of his job; his pager regularly interrupting what few private moments they get. Justine also struggles to sustain a healthy relationship with her daughter, Lauren (Natalie Portman), who’s frequently stood up by her father, Justine’s previous husband.

Justine comes to resent her love for Vincent, and the fact that she can’t stop loving him despite his absence. So she has a one-night stand as an attempt to sabotage their marriage and gain closure, but when Lauren attempts suicide it’s clear how essential Justine’s relationship with Vincent is to her emotional stability. At the hospital where Lauren is recovering, they discuss their relationship: they can see no way to reconcile their problems, Vincent admitting that he cannot be as present as she requires, but still they do not commit to a separation. At that moment, Vincent’s pager beeps, and Justine gives him permission to abandon her for his job.

Justine lays out to Vincent the state of their relationship © 20th Century Fox

Justine lays out the state of their relationship early in the film. Vincent, his team, and their partners are out for a meal, drinks, and dancing. Vincent is dancing happily with Justine, who is laughing and enjoying this rare carefree moment together. But then his pager beeps, he is called away to a crime scene. Upon his return he finds Justine alone. She complains about the state of their relationship. He argues that she tacitly agreed to his terms:

“I told you when we hooked up, baby, that you were going to have to share me with all the bad people and ugly events on this planet.”

Justine replies with an astute assessment of the source of her frustration:

“And I bought into that sharing… because I love you. I love you fat, bald, money, no money, driving a bus. I don’t care. But you have got to be present like a normal guy some of the time. That’s sharing. This is not sharing. This is leftovers.”

Both Justine and Vincent failed to understand the terms upon which each other of them entered into their marriage, both incorrectly believing they were in agreement. It is in this moment that Justine acknowledges for the first time that Vincent cannot fulfil her emotional needs. He will not give her what she requires, and yet she can’t leave him:

“What I don’t understand is why I can’t cut loose of you.”

Vincent initially rejects her analysis, seeming to suggest that their relationship can survive, even thrive, on his terms. But by their final scene he has come to realise the impasse she describes. When she asks:

“Is there any way that it could work out between us?”

He replies:

“I wish I could say yes, you know. But in the end… You know, it’s like you said: all I am is what I’m going after. I’m not what you want, Justine.”

Justine’s final moment, giving a reassuring smile to Vincent, telling him it’s ok for him to abandon her © 20th Century Fox

This is the tragedy of Justine’s life: she loves someone who can’t return that love on her terms. She must surrender to his terms if she chooses to stay with him. This is the choice she has in her pivotal and final onscreen moment: whether to give Vincent permission to stop comforting her in the aftermath of her daughter’s attempted suicide to go chase his prey.

This she does, telling him she can handle it, and even flashing him a reassuring smile when he looks back. She is resigned to the knowledge that his are the only terms upon which she can stay in a relationship with him. Even in the most extreme circumstances, even when she needs emotional support from Vincent more than she has ever needed it before, she must accept second place.