The Heat

[sasha_feather]

I saw "The Heat" tonight with laceblade. Overall I really liked it, mostly because I love Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. They play an FBI agent and a Boston cop, respectively, and this is a fairly standard buddy-cop comedy, except that it stars women. The movie is about their friendship and how they work together.



Melissa McCarty does some impressive physical comedy that reminded me of John Belushi or Chris Farley: she scales a fence, dances, climbs through a series of open car windows. She is really fun to watch because she seems so comfortable with her body. Her character, Mullins, is pointedly more comfortable with her body and sexuality than is Bullock's character, Ashburn. Ashburn is uptight and Mullins is emotional; both are good at their jobs in different ways.

Several things made me uncomfortable, the biggest of which was using police brutality as a comic device. (Other buddy-cop movies such as "Bad Boys" have done this.) Most of this happens at the beginning of the film.

There is an albino character in the film who is a jerk and foil for the protagonists; Mullins makes fun of him for being albino. This is just weird. Discrimination of albinos is a thing, and I don't know why this movie feels the need to perpetuate it. Earlier the film shows a clip from a Matrix sequel with an albino character as Ashburn is flipping channels-- why?

While the whole film itself fights against sexism, there's a portrayal of sexism early on that is confusing. Ashburn is extremely good at her job, and seems to be disliked by her colleagues because of it. She wants a promotion but her boss is reluctant to give it to her because no one likes her-- he says there are complaints she is arrogant and shows off. Would such complaints be leveled against a man? This remains unasked and unanswered.

I loved the genuine interactions between the two women and with Mullin's very working-class family, who are not happy with her being a cop. I loved the two women being bad asses, gearing up, and taking down evil dudes. It was just so refreshing to see such interesting, unusual women in a movie! And it wasn't about their love lives or pairing up! There was a lot to love in this movie.

Other content notes: A brief torture scene, some blood, gun violence.

Comments

[fullygoldy]

there's a portrayal of sexism early on that is confusing. Ashburn is extremely good at her job, and seems to be disliked by her colleagues because of it. She wants a promotion but her boss is reluctant to give it to her because no one likes her-- he says there are complaints she is arrogant and shows off. Would such complaints be leveled against a man? This remains unasked and unanswered.

Actually, these complaints leveled against a man would ensure his promotion. They'd prove he was tough and manly and therefore a good leader (at least until he was promoted to a level where his colleagues actually couldn't stand him - not his subordinates, his equals). A woman is supposed to be at least likeable at all times which makes it super hard to be seen as an effective leader. The question doesn't get asked or answered in the movie because it doesn't get asked or answered in the workplace.

eta: html woes

[sasha_feather]

It's interesting because the women in this movie aren't really likeable to their colleagues or anyone else, even to each other at first, but they are likeable to the audience because of being the protagonists.

What you say makes sense, sadly.