Heat (1995) is a crime drama directed by Michael Mann, known for its intense action sequences, nuanced characters, and gripping plot. The film features an all-star cast led by Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, and Jon Voight. Heat is revered as one of the greatest crime films of all time, particularly for its detailed portrayal of both the cops and criminals at its center. The film is best known for its iconic bank heist scene and the riveting face-off between Pacino and De Niro, two of cinema’s most legendary actors.
The film follows the intersecting lives of Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), a professional, disciplined career criminal, and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino), a relentless LAPD detective. Both men are at the top of their respective fields, and their lives are driven by their respective missions — McCauley to pull off one final major heist and Hanna to stop him.
McCauley leads a crew of skilled criminals, including Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore), and Trejo (Danny Trejo). Together, they execute high-stakes robberies, including an armored car heist that sets the plot in motion. When one of McCauley’s crew members, Waingro (Kevin Gage), botches the job by killing a guard, McCauley is forced to clean up the mess, which draws the attention of Hanna and his team.
Hanna is a passionate and obsessive detective who is just as driven as McCauley. Despite his commitment to the job, his personal life suffers; his marriage to Justine (Diane Venora) is on the rocks, and he struggles to maintain a relationship with his troubled stepdaughter Lauren (Natalie Portman). Meanwhile, McCauley, who lives by the motto “don’t get attached to anything you can’t walk out on in 30 seconds flat,” begins to develop a romantic relationship with Eady (Amy Brenneman), a woman who offers him a glimpse of a different kind of life.
The tension between McCauley and Hanna builds as McCauley plans his final heist: a massive bank robbery in downtown Los Angeles. However, as the stakes rise, both men must confront the choices they’ve made in their lives, and whether they can ever escape the consequences of their actions.