#crime drama

Heat (1995)
Lag Time: 21 years
Dir. Michael Mann
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer

Heat is arguably the crown jewel of crime cinema. Rarely are crime dramas executed with such care and precision. And rarely do they ascend to the category of “important.” This one has the cinematic and narrative chops to earn that title. Heatcan really be viewed as a crime epic, for a variety of reasons not the least of which is its run-time and sheer sense of scope. At the immediate center of the story: a thrilling face-off between two equally-matched and fearsome forces – cop and criminal – that feels incredibly human. The media certainly leaned on the Pacino-De Niro dynamic to sell the film, and rightly so. However, the film’s brilliance and power stems from the fact that this showdown means so much more. The story evolves from the deadlock between two men on opposite sides of the law, but the point of the story is that the ensuing battle engulfs all that they carry with them. Spoilers follow.

For a film and plot driven by violence,Heat is refreshingly critical of the violence it depicts. This is where the film’s heart lies, and where it stands out against lesser films. It refuses to trivialize the violence it relies upon at every turn, and this is where it becomes apparent that this film is really about the collateral damage incurred by a conflict that seems to be between two men. It condemns the violence in how it handles character deaths. It is a very patient film in that it takes great pains to make the deaths in the film mean something, to let them be felt, and it does this with a couple of devices: one of them more narrative and one of them more structural.

The primary force behind the film’s awakening to collateral damage is the dominant themes of family and relationships. Like I said, the conflict between Pacino’s and De Niro’s characters consumes everything about their lives, including the other lives connected to them. They bring networks of souls with them to the literal table when they sit down face to face over coffee in a tiny diner. This is one reason this film is really a drama first and thena crime genre film. The family lives of not just these characters but of so many of their associates are brought front and center. Heatspends ample time exploring the personal lives of these families so that when Lieutenant Hanna (Pacino) and McCauley (De Niro) butt heads, you truly feel all that is at stake. It builds up care both ways. You know that family members will be in the line of fire, something that begs for the violence to stop. But it also makes the deaths of combatants much more powerful. A secondary cop character gets shot down, the camera lingers, and the death resonates because you came to know that character by seeing his family life, and you know by name the family he is leaving behind.

Operating with the family theme is how the movie structurally elevates what we could call “periphery deaths” to true moments. This goes beyond how the family element makes the death of a cop carry impact. This is about the film giving story to characters who seem on the surface not to matter. The most important character here, for me, is Dennis Haysbert’s. His first scene shows him applying for his first job out of prison, as a fry cook. We can tell the scene is setting something up, but we’re not sure what. A second scene shows his wife supporting him through his transition back to society as he questions his own value; at this point, we are officially questioning his character’s relevance to the Hanna/McCauley drama which is already stretching on quite long. Finally, we get the relevance. McCauley knows him. He comes in to the diner to recruit him as their getaway driver, because the cops are onto their usual driver. Haysbert’s character quits his terrible fry cook job on the spot and steps back into a life of crime. Then, the getaway. At the start of the climactic shoot-out scene, they begin to speed off from the scene of the crime with Haysbert behind the wheel, and he very quickly becomes the first casualty of the action. Four scenes, two of them unconnected to the main conflict, to set up a character who dies almost immediately upon his entry into that main conflict, when there was already a getaway driver introduced in the story. They did not need to set the heat upon the first driver. They could have made him entirely available. So why did they add onto the long runtime to set up a seemingly unnecessary character who would be slaughtered on the spot? Whatever the original intention, you have to admit: you feel something when that driver dies. You get to know his wife, you come to care for the two of them through the care they show for each other, you cheer for this “peripheral” character as he works his way back to a normal life, and as soon as the main conflict draws him in, his life and all its newfound hope comes to an end. Much ado about a minor character whose usefulness in the plot is questionable. But it makes you hate the violence.

A similar moment occurs when one of the wild card criminal characters kills a young prostitute he encounters. You don’t see the death on screen. But you see a prelude to it between the two of them, and you see the crime scene afterwards. Yes the scene itself serves to reintroduce us to the criminal character. But the post-crime scene quickly escalates when, as with the other characters, the young woman’s family arrives on the scene. Family comes into play once again, but the most notable device at work here is the score. Most of the film’s score so far has been very electronic and minimal, and music for similar procedural-type scenes might even be absent. Here, composer Elliot Goldenthal develops a searing string threnody as Hanna comforts the grieving mother. A character who received less than a minute of screen-time in a scene which, again, feels entirely accessory to the main drama, earns the most impassioned musical statement of the film. Why? Because death matters.

Periphery character deaths are turned into cinematic moments because death matters. Death happens. It consumes bystanders, people who have nothing to do with the main drama at hand. Even characters who get caught up in the drama, as with Haysbert’s, matter when they die. The film focuses not just on the families of the central characters, but on those of characters who seem at first like dead-weight in the plot. The film very painstakingly shows us that violent crimes all too often claim more victims than is “fair,” and that those victims are more than just bodies that drop when the climax gears up. The film’s many very intentional choices regarding narrative, structure, and even music give lives to those who die. This is how the film indicts the violence it makes a spectacle out of, as a crime film. I could not help but feel some resonance with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While the two central characters can hardly be said to be in love, although another critic is welcome to look at this film through that lens, the story reveals a greater conflict between two houses where senseless violence takes a great toll. The point is that the body count grows higher than it has any right to be, and by making the viewer painfully aware of that, the film holds its mirror up to nature.

The Menéndez Brothers who were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents José and Mary Menéndez, appearing on a Mark Jackson NBA trading card. The buzz surrounding the card caused thousands to be purchased and sold online since the story broke. Their murders were so gruesome and barbaric that José and Mary were rendered unidentifiable by 15 rounds from two 12-gauge shotguns. So brutal that the police believed the killings were a mob hit. The night of the crime, the brothers told police they’d gone out that night to see a movie but had to make a pitstop to retrieve Erik’s ID. That’s when they discovered their parents’ decimated bodies and dialed 911, they said in their interviews. The officers who responded to the 911 call found Erik sobbing on the lawn before entering the crime scene. During the period between the crime and their arrests, the brothers went on to spend an estimated amount of $700,000 of their fathers fortune who was worth $14 million at the time of his death. Buying a Rolex, cars, a restaurant, clothes, a $50,000 personal tennis coach, and more. In 1988, after getting caught in a string of burglaries, Erik was required by the court to go see a therapist by the name of Dr. Jerome Oziel. Therapy sessions continued and Oziel ultimately got both brothers confessing to the murders on tape. Oziel confided in his mistress who he had a complicated relationship with. She claimed he was controlling and abusive, after allegedly attacking her she contacted the police to reveal the Menéndez Brothers confessed to their parents’ murder. The trial began in 1993, broadcasted on Court TV, the brothers claimed that the reason behind their crime was their father being emotionally abusive and molesting them since childhood. The death of their mother was to “put her out of her misery.”

Christian Bale at press conference for Public Enemies at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, Illinois (June 19, 2009)

Re: Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis in Public Enemies (2009) dir. Michael Mann

McDonald & Dodds: We Need to Talk About Doreen

Sharon’s episode of McDonald & Dodds is available to stream free on the ITV Hub.

She plays Doreen, one of a group of friends visiting Bath for a birthday celebration:

‘A girls’ weekend away takes a sinister turn when one of them becomes a murder suspect…’

Also starring Jason Watkins, Tala Gouveia and Joy McAvoy.

‘McDonald & Dodds’ guest star Sharon Rooney: 'There’s more to Doreen than meets the eye!’

Best known for starring in such shows as My Mad Fat Diary, Two Doors Down and, most recently, Finding Alice, actor Sharon Rooney returns to our screens this Sunday in McDonald & Dodds Season 2, playing one of five friends who all become suspects when a birthday celebration ends in murder

Always centre of attention, Angela has travelled from Glasgow to Bath to celebrate her birthday with four friends, including best pal Doreen (Rooney). After meeting a group of rugby players, everyone heads to a house party at a mansion, near Brunel’s Box Hill Tunnel.

When promising rugby star Dominique Aubert is then found dead on a railway line — after drinking a lethal, spiked cocktail — all party-goers become suspects. 

While McDonald (Tala Gouveia) untangles a web of mystery surrounding the women and the rugby club — and its chairman Jimmy (Cold Feet’s John Thomson) and agent Deborah (Coronation Street’s Natalie Gumede) — Doreen takes an unusual interest in Dodds (Jason Watkins) and the investigation. Is this her time to shine?

We chatted to Sharon Rooney — aka Doreen — to find out more… 

Sharon Rooney on her character in McDonald & Dodds

“Doreen is the put-upon friend, and almost like the mum of the group, who’s organised this whole weekend away for her best friend Angela’s birthday. Angela is one of those people who loves to be in the spotlight while Doreen is happy to be in the background. There’s definitely more to Doreen than meets the eye, although that is the case with all of the characters in this series. You think they are one thing and they turn out to be completely different.”

Sharon Rooney on what Dodds makes of Doreen.

“McDonald sees right through Doreen and thinks she is a pain, and Doreen can tell McDonald feels that way about her, so she ignores her and hones straight in on Dodds. She is very excitable around him and constantly calls him 'Sarge’ which confuses him. She seems to enjoy winding him up. 

"I worked with Jason very briefly a few years ago and it was really nice to work with him again. He’s such a great actor — so ridiculously talented — but he’s also the nicest guy. We filmed this episode for four weeks and at the end I was like: ‘Do you want me to stay a little bit longer?’”

Sharon Rooney on working with John Thomson

That was pretty cool. It’s funny because we’d worked together on this but when he was on The Masked Singer, I couldn’t believe I didn’t guess it was him. When they unmasked him, my dad said: 'Oh well done, Sharon, you kept a good poker face.’ I was like: 'I had no idea! He didn’t tell his own daughters, why would he tell me?’“ 

Sharon Rooney on the perfect girls’ weekend

"There is one place me and my best friends go and we love it. There is a private hot tub, so we all sit in there during the day and then, at night, it’s face masks, pyjamas, snacks, films and chatting rubbish until four in the morning. I am a bit like Doreen, I organise it all and I’m like: 'Here is where we are going, here is your itinerary, here’s our budget.’ I’ll get us all matching outfits, matching towels, the whole hog. When I’m busy with work, I don’t get to see my friends a lot, so when we get time for a girls’ weekend, I like to go ALL out.”

Sharon Rooney on being recognised

“My Mad Fat Diary is probably the most common one, although, when I’m in Scotland it’s always Two Doors Down. I have been recognised for Dumbo a couple of times by little kids. I was at an event and this little girl kept lifting my dress up. Her dad said: 'I think she is looking for your tail.’ I was like: ‘That is so cute — but this dress is quite short!’”

What To Watch, 4 March 2021

Sharon is back on the box tonight in McDonald & Dodds(ITV at 9pm)!

In S2 Ep2: We Need To Talk About Doreen, Sharon plays Doreen, one of a group of ladies on a birthday weekend away. But is one of them capable of murder?!

She was chatting about it on Sunday Brunch this morning.

joyjoymcavoy 'That’s a wrap on McDonald and Dodds @itv so many lovely photos but this is the only one I’m allowed to post…it just so happens to be with the incredible @sharon_rooney ❤️

we had such an amazing girl gang with @shelleyconn033 @katronney @lifegoalsonwheels and a really wonderful cast @johnthomson2 @natalie.gumede @arothney, @tomosgwynfryn @felipebejarano and @georgehjwatkins thanks to McDonald and Dodds themselves @jasonwatkinsofficial and @talagouveia for making us feel so welcome on set and bringing the magic to every scene and to our incredible director @bexrycroft  thank you!! @mammothscreen #itv #itvdrama #actor #lovelymemories’

(13 November 2020)

Sharon Rooney will guest star in the second season of ITV’s police drama McDonald & Dodds… will her character be victim or suspect?!

McDonald & Dodds is set in Bath and follows DCI McDonald (Tala Gouveia), who has recently transferred from London’s Met Police, and has been partnered with the unassuming DS Dodds (Jason Watkins), who has been happy in the background for most of his working life. To McDonald’s surprise they form an unexpectedly effective crime solving partnership.

“…The second episode of season two, titled We Need To Talk About Doreen, tells the story of Doreen (Sharon Rooney), part of a group who have travelled to Bath for the weekend to celebrate their friend Angela’s (Joy McAvoy) birthday.

Whilst out on the town celebrating, Doreen, Angela, Hilary (Shelley Conn), Melissa (Maya Coates) and Cath (Kat Ronney) get chatting to some players from the Bath Eagles Rugby Club, including its strapping new signing Dominique Aubert (Tomos Gwynfryn). They are invited to a party thrown by rugby club chairman Jimmy (John Thomson) at his home and happily attend with other members of the rugby team and Dominique Aubert’s agent Deborah (Natalie Gumede). But the following morning, as most of the party are nursing their hangovers, the body of one guest is discovered near a railway tunnel and McDonald & Dodds are called in to investigate…”

Shattered Glass Scenes in Films

Fragile, Handle with Care.

I may appear seemingly strong, but in reality if you raised your voice at me, I would shatter into a thousand irretrievable pieces.

Films - No Country for Old Men, Baby Driver, Die Hard, To Live and Die in L.A, Oldboy, Watchmen, Insurgent, Tenet, Boy meets Girl, The Lady from Shanghai

David Boreanaz as Seeley Booth and co-star Emily Deschanel as Temperance Brennan in Bones (2005-2017)

first episode of season nine