Heat The Rewatchables
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Heat

Most Rewatchable Scene

Neil and Vincent's diner scene

In the discussion (27)
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:45Read transcript
  • One host tried to get creative with picks rather than the obvious ones; the other says this category requires playing the hits.
  • The first armored-car robbery: the truck hitting the armored car is one of the loudest, most terrifying sounds in a theater, and the shaped charge blowing out all the car windows at once is 'the coolest thing in the world'.
  • The robbery crew are clearly professionals until Waingro stares at the bleeding guard and kills him, forcing them to shoot everyone.
  • The Big Boys diner with Waingro ('I had to get it on, man. He was making a move'); a newly noticed detail is Michael moving to the counter while Trejo leaves to ready the plastic-lined trunk.
  • No customers react when Neil slams Waingro's head on the counter; De Niro is called vintage and purposeful in the scene.
  • Eady and Neil's first meeting ('Lady, why are you so interested in what I read or what I do?') is called their scene; it is believable because she is new and lonely in L.A.
  • This may be De Niro's best on-screen chemistry with an actress, compared with odd pairings in Cape Fear, with Meryl Streep, and with Sharon Stone in Casino.
  • In the meet-cute she lays out her Scotch-Irish Appalachian family tree and he answers only 'I'm from the Bay Area'.
  • Neil's crew debating the bank job ('The bank is worth the risk ... I need it, brother'); Sizemore heat-checks De Niro, like Reggie Miller against Michael Jordan, and lands 'for me, the action is the juice'.
  • Vincent realizing the crew has turned the surveillance around ('You know what they're looking at? ... Us ... We just got made').
  • The diner scene between Neil and Vincent is introduced and called one of the most famous scenes of the 90s, or of the last 40 years, likened to LeBron and Kobe guarding each other in a Finals shown only in one-on-ones.
  • Square TVs showed one actor at a time, fueling a ten-year internet legend that the two were not in the scene together; widescreen disproved it.
  • Research cited says the scene was take 11 and was never rehearsed, at De Niro's request.
  • The exchange is compared to the two of them having a podcast; jokes about Vincent commandeering an LAPD helicopter just to get Neil to coffee.
  • De Niro listening and looking away before 'there's a flip side to that coin' is one of his favorite De Niro performances, though 'that's the discipline' is called his only bad acting moment.
  • Asked who wins the scene 25 years later, one host says Pacino and expects the other to say De Niro.
  • The hosts say Pacino later revealed his character was on cocaine throughout, a thread Mann cut from early scripts, which explains his darting eyes scanning the restaurant.
  • The other calls the scene a split decision, 115 to 114, possibly a draw.
  • The bank-robbery shootout is called probably the GOAT bank shootout that every later bank robbery homages; Den of Thieves is a flat-out rip-off and Inside Man the least like Heat.
  • Research cited says military units study how Kilmer and De Niro reload; Sizemore is rarely shown shooting; the hosts say Mann placed microphones to capture the gunfire live.
  • Shootout nits: the masked robber's 'we're not here for your money' reassurance, and Kilmer's slow 25-yard walk while Pacino drives in and gets out, which always drives one host nuts.
  • Neil killing Waingro and walking away from Eady is a tough breakup after she gave notice and packed to emigrate to New Zealand.
  • The hosts say production almost could not shoot at LAX because of a Unabomber threat.
  • Vincent versus Albert: Albert's salt-mine, pit-bull, hot-car-lot hideout and 'where's your empathy?'; Pacino is so off-menu the editing can't keep up, with audio from a different take.
  • Waingro's meeting with Van Zant: Van Zant has been living in his office, and 'I got some moves I can make here' is joked about as an NBA GM's trade pitch.
  • Vincent at BJs on Alvarado at 2 a.m., where everyone dances to silence because the music was dubbed in; Piven's Dr. Bob is also floated.
  • Stated answer: the most rewatchable scene is the diner scene, the second most is the bank shootout, and all other nominations are accepted.