#jon voight
In all fairness, Ethan, Claire was never convinced her charms would work on you. But I was supremely confident, having tasted the goods. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, Ethan.
Their smiles ❤️❤️❤️
“I’m alone, I’m not lonely”
These five words suggest the dichotomy at the heart of Heat, Michael Mann’s LA crime-opus: are a man’s personal sacrifices worth the successes they may bring in a professional capacity? Mann’s exploration of this duality is the basis of the film, and it’s primarily through his creation of character that he is able to explore this so successfully, and, rather surprisingly, so poignantly.
Mann paints his characters with such depth that he blurs the lines between right and wrong, and the audience wants both sides to win - or, rather more aptly, the audience wants neither side to lose. By showing us the humanity in both De Niro’s master criminal McCauley (who intervenes when the wife of his friend (and partner-in-crime) begins an affair with a liquor salesman) and Pacino’s detective Hanna (who plays the surrogate father to his third wife’s young daughter), Mann invites us into both of their worlds, making them more than just cop and criminal - they are characters to root for and, above all, they are men.
They are men juggling personal crises with the pursuit of professional gain, yet neither of them seem to be able to handle it. It’s a sympathetic, noble pursuit for both characters, and it’s to Mann’s credit that he can imbue them with such humanity and sympathy that they’re worth rooting for - particularly a character as naturally at odds with an audience as McCauley.
But that’s what makes Heat such a compelling film. Mann creates a moral dilemma - not unlike the one the characters are facing - for the audience: why should we care about McCauley? He’s the villain here. But we do, because he’s such a wonderfully complex, maybe even relatable (at a base level, anyway) character. At least he is to Hanna - he sees him as an intellectual equal (notably in one extraordinary diner sequence, when the two come face to face).
But as Hanna and McCauley continue their unrelenting game of chess, and their personal lives begin to deteriorate around them, their quasi-tragic battle of wits becomes something of an obsession - or maybe even an escape from their failing personal lives. But it’s McCauley’s who blinks first, and once his insatiable desire for revenge kicks in, his charade of a happy ending begins to unravel The battle of wits descends into a cat and mouse chase, and, finally, inevitably, Hanna gets his man, and the two men acknowledge their respect for each other with one last, profoundly emotional handshake.
But even as McCauley’s life ebbs away at the victorious hands of Hanna, one question remains: was the battle worth the sacrifice? The answer remains more complicated than a simple yes or no, but when you’re playing the game for the thrill of the chase, barbecues and ballgames seem like little of an alternative when the excitement of bank heists and gun fights are never too far away.
Ali (2001)
Directed by Michael Mann
Doomsy’s Rating: 81/100
“You only know what it is to win when you’ve got everything to lose…”
Will Smith plays the true rebel of the 20th century as a man unafraid, but just that—a man. The enigma around his legend, his larger-than-life status, it all means nothing without a real human being at its center. Mann’s camera work here is impeccable as always. The opening fight sequence alone is pure, ultra-fluid Mann, creating silence in the air of the roaring crowds and calling immediate attention the galvanizing fight choreography, which is swift, balletic, and brutal, just as it should be. Boxing has never felt so raw and real on film, partly because every punch is more than just a punch but a blow to the establishment. The most important thing about doing Ali’s life justice is to avoid focusing on any one area. An extraordinary life is a series of meaningful vignettes, all filmed like fragmented images in a dream. Mann decides to forgo any narrative or biopic convention for an episodic series of events that shaped not only Ali but the world we live in today. Smith’s performance is staggering, completely disappearing into the role of a lifetime. The rest of the cast is duly committed, especially Jon Voight, giving one of the decade’s most impressive physical transformations as Howard Cosell. It must be said, I’m starting to become fairly convinced this is one of the best biopics of the 2000s and one of Michael Mann’s finest visual achievements.
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The Champ (1979). Billy Flynn is an ex-champion boxer who was KO’d by booze and gambling. When the wealthy, estranged mother of his young son begins trying to lure the boy away from him, Flynn must return to the ring to provide for his child.
I’m a bit of a sucker for a boxing movie. There’s something about the way they tend to allow space for male characters (and actors) to be vulnerable, as if the violence of the sport opens up a sort of personal tenderness. This movie has that in spades with Jon Voight playing a father desperate to stay connected to his son, and he really plays well into Billy’s flaws and needs. The plot does veer into melodrama, but still. It’s pretty good. 7.5/10.
