Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy star as mismatched cops, but the problem is that they’re mismatched performers, fighting each other for laughs because neither wants to be the straight woman. The result is a lot of shouting and obscenity, as a vulgar Boston detective (McCarthy) and an uptight FBI agent (Bullock) chase a generic drug kingpin. Paul Feig, who created the cult TV series Freaks and Geeks and directed McCarthy in Bridesmaids, manages to create a few moments of chemistry between the two actresses, particularly in a girls’ night out about halfway through; but Katie Dippold’s script doesn’t supply them with much more than its gender gimmick. With Marlon Wayans, funny as a romantically inclined G-man.
The Heat
R • 1 hour 57 min • 2013