The showgirls sport moustaches, and the waitresses are capable of tearing a phone book apart! This Burt Reynolds film had a very difficult production history, involving arguments and walk-offs, so it’s not entirely unexpected that it isn't a particularly good movie. Still, it's also not as awful as some people claim. The password is later! The story follows Reynolds as Nick Escalante, an ex-mercenary working in Las Vegas as a bodyguard and doing other things. After a woman he cares about is brutally beaten and treated with utter disrespect, Nick finds himself at odds with a young gangster connected to organized crime. All of this happens while Nick struggles with his gambling addiction and tries to achieve his goal of moving to Venice, Italy, for his five-year plan. You're a wonderful guy. You’re number one. You’re a great fella. Adapted by William Goldman from his own novel, Heat often seems like it could have been a really good film. The characters are well-developed and interesting, the setting is perfect for dark deeds and shattered dreams, and Reynolds delivers a strong performance. He was still a major star, even though the movies he started making in the 1980s didn’t quite live up to his standing. However, he's let down by some very awkward and silly action sequences; it's puzzling why the director (Dick Richards/Jerry Jameson) didn't opt for straightforward, realistic fights. I made $7 million dollars on my 28th birthday. Don’t call me kid. While the screenplay is light on action (don’t watch this expecting a nonstop action movie), the script has some value in Nick's interactions with other characters, especially his relationship with Peter MacNicol’s excellent Cyrus Kinnick. He’s afraid of being scared and asks Nick to teach him how to be brave. They are an unlikely pair, but essential to each other; their dynamic provides the film with moments of humor and is also a key reason why Heat isn't a bad movie at all. Michael Gibbs contributes some clever, seductive jazz music that fits the Vegas setting, while James Contner’s cinematography is equally appropriate for the feeling of desperation that runs through the plot. Howard Hesseman and Diana Scarwid don't get enough screen time to make much of an impression, but Karen Young as Holly (the woman of the night) does a good job. Unfortunately, Neill Barry as the main villain, Danny DeMarco, is unbelievably bad and quite irritating. Whether you enjoy Heat might depend on whether or not you’re a Reynolds fan, just to get some entertainment from watching him take center stage. It works well enough when viewed as a character-driven film with Reynolds in the lead role, but if you're seeking something more, you could end up disappointed, like many others already have. 7/10

Source on TMDB