Heat

I always make it a habit to watch a film before the new year that i hold close to my heart. The Life changing film, at least for me was directed by Michael Mann. The emotions this movie gives me, especially the ending, are incredibly hard to match. From the star studded cast to the cinematography, costumes, and soundtrack, everything feels purposeful and timeless. To me, the film is more than just cops and robbers. It is about two nearly identical men who are exceptional at their jobs, yet deeply flawed when it comes to their personal lives and relationships at home. Neil, played by Robert De Niro, has no one waiting for him. No family, only business. He begins a relationship with Eady but never truly allows himself to become attached. He lives by the rule of walking away in thirty seconds flat if he feels the heat around the corner, a philosophy that ultimately defines his isolation. Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, is a highly respected detective and just as devoted to his work, but his home life is in complete disarray. He has a wife he cannot emotionally connect with and a stepdaughter struggling with abandonment. In many ways, he mirrors Neil, except Vincent has a family yet is just as distant from them. Both men recognize and respect each other. They see the similarities in one another, but that awareness is not enough to stop them. They are driven by what they are good at, even when it costs them everything else. That inevitability is what makes the film so powerful. Thank you for giving us one of the greatest films ever made.