Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- raucous
- lazy sunday
- friends night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film predictable but entertaining, with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy's chemistry and comic performances carrying its conventional buddy-cop story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ashburn's by-the-book FBI professionalism clashes with Mullins's aggressive, improvisational policing before their partnership becomes emotionally meaningful.
The detectives' abrasive conduct and ambition expose the pressures placed on women in male-dominated law-enforcement institutions.
The investigation of drug lord Mr. Larkin is repeatedly complicated and energized by Ashburn and Mullins's mutual hostility.
The film combines profane exchanges and comic brutality with undercover work, arrests, shootings, and a drug-ring investigation.
Films like The Heat, and why
Miss Congeniality
female buddy-cop comedy built around abrasive opposites, escalating crime investigations, and friendship through conflict
Bridesmaids
female-led workplace friction, raunchy humor, and a gradual bond between mismatched women
21 Jump Street
comic police partnership combining action set pieces, profane banter, and reluctant camaraderie
Lethal Weapon
mismatched law-enforcement partners pursuing organized crime with humor and action
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul Feig
- Release Date
- 2013-06-27
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (4281)
Cast
- Sandra Bullock
- Melissa McCarthy
- Demián Bichir
- Marlon Wayans
- Michael Rapaport
- Jane Curtin
- Spoken Reasons
- Dan Bakkedahl
- Taran Killam
- Michael McDonald
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Heat about?
- An ambitious FBI agent and a volatile Boston detective must turn mutual hostility into an unlikely partnership to bring down a drug lord.
- What is The Heat like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Heat as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Heat violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Heat as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Heat?
- Critics broadly found the film predictable but entertaining, with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy's chemistry and comic performances carrying its conventional buddy-cop story.
- Which films are like The Heat?
- Films with a similar feel include Miss Congeniality, Bridesmaids, 21 Jump Street, and Lethal Weapon.
- How long is The Heat?
- The Heat runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Heat?
- In United States, The Heat is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
