Search - City Heat (Ws Dub Sub Dol) on DVD

Watch it for the laughs, not the acting

Kyle Tolle | Phoenix, Arizona USA | 05/10/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"For a movie made in the mid 80's, you'd think pairing up 2 superstars like Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds would make for a smash hit but it just wasn't meant to be. The plot isn't terribly exciting and the acting didn't raise any eyebrows but there was just enough humor and a few goofy situations to keep it from total destruction.

It's the 1930's and the time of prohibition, gangland activity, and all the nefarious activity that goes with it. Eastwood plays the seasoned, grizzled lieutenant in the police department trying to keep a hold on his city while Reynolds is his former partner now turned private eye who just can't seem to stay out of trouble. These two trade wisecracks and insults throughout the film and put themselves into some corny predicaments that merit a few laughs here and there. It seems that they're both trying to outdo each other also so that distracts a little but not too much. They finally team up together to save the day and roust the gangsters in a predictable and unexciting ending.

There's not a whole lot of saving graces other that what has already been mentioned but at least you can see some different, although hollow, acting performances by Madeline Kahn, Rip Torn, Richard Roundtree, Jane Alexander, and Irene Cara. It's not enough to rescue the film but if you go into watching this with the idea that it's just a guilty pleasure and nothing more, you probably won't feel so bad about wasting an hour and a half of your time.
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