Robert De Niro, during his heyday, was about as good as actors get. There's a strong case to be made that De Niro is one of the best actors ever. From classics like "The Godfather" to huge hit comedies like "Meet the Parents," he's done it all. But of everything he's ever done, his work in director Michael Mann's classic heist movie "Heat" remains at or at least very near the top of the list.
Streaming now on Prime Video, "Heat" was released in 1995 at the height of De Niro's powers. It centers on an obsessive master thief named Neil McCauley (De Niro) who heads up a crew of expert criminals on daring heists throughout Los Angeles. Meanwhile, relentless detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues the crew until it all comes to a head. It's a cat-and-mouse game like no other we've seen since. A masterclass of the crime genre.
It's oft-considered to be Michael Mann's best movie. It's also the movie that brought De Niro and Pacino face-to-face in the infamous diner scene. Yes, the two had technically been in the same movie before, but this was truly the first time they got to actually share any meaningful screen time. Both A-class actors are on their A-game with a director firing on all cylinders. It's one of those situations where every perfect piece slides into place at the perfect time, resulting in a masterwork of cinema for the masses.
There's a reason why Val Kilmer's memories of working on "Heat" are so incredible. There's a reason why, more than 30 years later, people like me obsess over it. It's really that good and certainly worth a revisit. For those who haven't seen it? There's no time like the present.
