Heat, The (10/15/2013)

Rated R for pervasive language, strong crude content and some violence.

Starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy

Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids)

Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy can certainly bring The Heat…and the laughs.

Uptight FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) and foul-mouthed Boston cop Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) couldn’t be more incompatible. But when they join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected: buddies.

Let me just start with the obvious…this movie is both ridiculously funny and unnecessarily dirty…as in 150 F-Words dirty. Needless to say, some of the laughs come from fantastic timing and hilarious slapstick, but many of the attempts to get laughs come from the “low-hanging fruit” (as Jonathan puts it).

So let’s talk about the fantastic timing and hilarious slapstick. Melissa McCarthy is without a doubt, the funniest woman on the planet. She steals every scene and Sandra Bullock is not only ok with it, she plays the uptight, straight man flawlessly. I lost track of how many times I was full-on belly laughing…which is exactly what I want in a comedy.

So why only a score of “rental”? Well, a few things: the first is the aforementioned language and “low-hanging fruit.” I just wished they had tried a little bit more to keep it clean.

Secondly, there are times when the movie tries to tug at our heart stings. WHY? Why can’t you just be happy with making us laugh? You don’t have to make us cry too. By the way, you didn’t.

Finally, there is the “storyline.” Let’s be honest, the plot is basically a vehicle to move from one funny scene to the next. There was something about drug dealers, dirty cops and the good guys chasing the bad guys, but that’s not really why we bought the ticket.

If the film was a little cleaner I would have given it a higher score, unfortunately it’s just a “rental” for me.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Unfortunately no. This is an R-rated movie with nearly nonstop sexual references, jokes, and dialogue which range from mild to graphic. Plus 150 F-bombs.

CONVERSATION STARTER

1. How would you describe Ashburn and Mullins when they first met?


2. What was different about them?


3. How did they put their differences aside in order to work together?


4. Read 1 Corinthians 12:20-25
   
   Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.
   
   What do you think would have happened if Mullins tried to be like Ashburn or vice versa?


5. Who are some people that you work with that are different from you? What makes them different?


6. What can you do this week to work together better?