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The Rewatchables ·

Heat

year 1995decade 90sdirector Michael Manngenre Crimegenre Drama
host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryan format Repeat visit
All 19 categories

Most Rewatchable Scene · 26:45

Neil and Vincent's diner scene

Bill Simmons: One host tried to get creative with picks rather than the obvious ones; the other says this category requires playing the hits.

Bill Simmons: 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 Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson · 25:23

Never fall for a guy with no furniture

Bill Simmons: Before the categories, the lessons of Heat from the last podcast are reiterated, narrowed down to the best.

The film

Heat (1995)

Directed by Michael Mann · Crime

170 minutes [ 1 ] [ 2 ]

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Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Al Pacino LAPD Robbery Homicide Lieutenant Vincent Hanna
Robert De Niro Neil McCauley
Val Kilmer Chris Shiherlis
Jon Voight Nate
Tom Sizemore Michael Cheritto
Diane Venora Justine Hanna
Ashley Judd Charlene Shiherlis
Mykelti Williamson Sergeant Bobby Drucker
Wes Studi Detective Sammy Casals
Ted Levine Detective Mike Bosko
Dennis Haysbert Don Breedan
William Fichtner Roger Van Zant
Natalie Portman Lauren Gustafson
Tom Noonan Kelso
Niki Haris Marcia Drucker
Kevin Gage Waingro
Hank Azaria Alan Marciano
Danny Trejo Gilbert Trejo
Susan Traylor Elaine Cheritto
Kim Staunton Lillian
Henry Rollins Hugh Benny
Jerry Trimble Detective Danny Schwartz
Tone Loc Richard Torena
Ricky Harris Albert Torena
Ray Buktenica Timmons
Jeremy Piven Dr. Bob

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

25:23

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Never fall for a guy with no furniture; never leave a living witness; never sell bearer bonds back to the guy you sto...

Never fall for a guy with no furniture; never leave a living witness; never sell bearer bonds back to the guy you stole them from; never stay in town after the empty-telephone call; never have a life that revolves around barbecues and ball games; never have anything you can't walk away from in 30 seconds

This discussion recalls a choice from an earlier episode.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:23Read transcript
  • Before the categories, the lessons of Heat from the last podcast are reiterated, narrowed down to the best. — Bill Simmons
  • Lessons: never fall for a guy with no furniture, never leave a living witness, never sell the bonds back to the guy you stole them from. — Bill Simmons
  • Never stay in town when someone tells you he's talking to an empty telephone; the hosts joke that Van Zant surely has a no-extradition place in the Caymans and should have left instead of watching a hockey game. — Bill Simmons
  • Never have a life that revolves around barbecues and ball games, and never have anything you can't walk away from in 30 seconds if the heat's around the corner, called essential advice; these are the main six. — Bill Simmons
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26:45

Most Rewatchable Scene

Neil and Vincent's diner 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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'. — Bill Simmons
  • The robbery crew are clearly professionals until Waingro stares at the bleeding guard and kills him, forcing them to shoot everyone. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Chris Ryan
  • No customers react when Neil slams Waingro's head on the counter; De Niro is called vintage and purposeful in the scene. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • In the meet-cute she lays out her Scotch-Irish Appalachian family tree and he answers only 'I'm from the Bay Area'. — Chris Ryan
  • 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'. — Bill Simmons
  • Vincent realizing the crew has turned the surveillance around ('You know what they're looking at? ... Us ... We just got made'). — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • Research cited says the scene was take 11 and was never rehearsed, at De Niro's request. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • Asked who wins the scene 25 years later, one host says Pacino and expects the other to say De Niro. — Chris Ryan
  • 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. — Chris Ryan
  • The other calls the scene a split decision, 115 to 114, possibly a draw. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • 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. — Bill Simmons
  • Neil killing Waingro and walking away from Eady is a tough breakup after she gave notice and packed to emigrate to New Zealand. — Chris Ryan
  • The hosts say production almost could not shoot at LAX because of a Unabomber threat. — Chris Ryan
  • 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. — Chris Ryan
  • 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. — Chris Ryan
  • 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. — Chris Ryan
  • Stated answer: the most rewatchable scene is the diner scene, the second most is the bank shootout, and all other nominations are accepted. — Bill Simmons
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51:55

What’s Aged the Best?

"Because she's got a great ass"

"Because she's got a great ass"

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:51:55Read transcript
  • Introduced as a new category: nominees are 'Give me all you got', the three dead bodies off Venice Boulevard and the overcooked chicken, and the 'great ass' outburst. — Bill Simmons
  • Mann's director's commentary is cited saying Pacino ad-libbed the 'great ass' passage, and the actor on the receiving end looks exasperated and shocked. — Bill Simmons
  • More nominees: 'You know what they're looking at? Us', the angry Ralph line, and 'Bon voyage, motherfucker'. — Bill Simmons
  • Answer to the favorite over-the-top Pacino moment 25 years later: 'Great ass? Yeah.' — Bill Simmons
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53:51

What’s Aged the Best?

Empty-telephone threat; "The action is the juice"; "The sun rises and sets with her"; Haysbert quitting the diner; tr...

Empty-telephone threat; "The action is the juice"; "The sun rises and sets with her"; Haysbert quitting the diner; tracking crooks without electronic surveillance; the walk-away-in-30-seconds philosophy; the music; Vincent Hanna's jewelry; Trejo's zip-up hoodie; Mann's L.A. locations

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:53:51Read transcript
  • Neil's 'I'm talking to an empty telephone' is called the best phone threat in the history of cinema, with Van Zant's terrified look. — Chris Ryan
  • Also aged well: 'for me, the action is the juice', Kilmer's 'the sun rises and sets with her', Haysbert quitting the diner and beating up his boss, tracking crooks without electronic surveillance, the walk-away-in-30-seconds philosophy, Moby at the end and the music generally. — Bill Simmons
  • Vincent Hanna's jewelry: a wish to be a guy who wears gold chains and bracelets again. — Bill Simmons
  • A borderline nominee is Michael Mann, 'clearly an alien', whose gatherings are always big laughing dinner tables or dance parties. — Bill Simmons
  • Trejo wearing a zip-up hoodie with no shirt underneath. — Bill Simmons
  • The other host's pick is 'the action is the juice', loved more since the point about Sizemore going for it. — Chris Ryan
  • This version of L.A. and its locations, such as the taco stand next to the car wash on Pico, should have been on the list; East Coasters knew L.A. only from movies and it takes on new life after moving there. — Chris Ryan
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57:50

What’s Aged the Worst?

Jump Around

Jump Around

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:50Read transcript
  • Neil's apartment without a couch; he could have gotten a futon. — Chris Ryan
  • House of Pain's 'Jump Around' is called one of the worst moments; a 1995 L.A. Tupac song such as 'Picture Me Rollin'' would have been better. — Bill Simmons
  • Payphones, an integral character in the movie; Jeremy Piven's hair. — Bill Simmons
  • Late-50s Pacino beating up Henry Rollins's much bigger character is not believable. — Bill Simmons
  • Pacino kissing on screen is gross, with Sea of Love mentioned. — Bill Simmons
  • Vincent and Justine's marriage is described in sophisticated terms; her 'this is not sharing, this is leftovers' felt realistic, her 'remains of dead people' speech is oratorical, and Vincent keeps a TV on the dinner table for SportsCenter. — Bill Simmons
  • Settled answer: 'What do we say aged the worst? Jump Around? Yeah, let's say Jump Around.' — Bill Simmons
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1:07:16

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Kevin Gage as Waingro

Kevin Gage as Waingro

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:16Read transcript
  • A Twitter poll asked whether to rename it the Waingro Award, and voters kept Joey Pants. — Bill Simmons
  • Waingro is called the ultimate That Guy in a Hall of Fame That Guy movie that also has the Last of the Mohicans actor, Ted Levine, Piven, Tom Noonan and the Armageddon actor. — Bill Simmons
  • The hosts say Kevin Gage spent time in prison, where the Waingro role bought him some juice, and that nobody knows him as anything but Waingro. — Bill Simmons
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1:08:35

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Al Pacino

Al Pacino

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:35Read transcript
  • The overacting award is renamed the Vincent Hanna Overacting Award, 'Give me all you got', because Pacino basically retires it. — Bill Simmons
  • Runner-up: Natalie Portman's 'my barrettes' outburst, where she does dial it up. — Bill Simmons
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1:09:08

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Haysbert's diner boss

Haysbert's diner boss

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:08Read transcript
  • Nominees include Waingro, Haysbert's diner boss, Voight and Tom Noonan; 'It's probably Waingro'. — Bill Simmons
  • The case for the diner boss: he has three scenes and you want to punch him every time ('Mop up the floor. Take the trash out'). — Bill Simmons
  • Judd is in the movie too much to qualify. — Bill Simmons
  • Settled on Haysbert's diner boss over Waingro 'just to break it up'. — Bill Simmons
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1:14:00

Apex Mountain

Michael Mann; Kate Mantilini's; L.A. bank robbery movies; over-the-top late-prime Al Pacino; character actor Jon Voight

Michael Mann; Kate Mantilini's; L.A. bank robbery movies; over-the-top late-prime Al Pacino; character actor Jon Voight

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:14:00Read transcript
  • Michael Mann gets a yes from two voices ('I would go yes. Me too.'); the diner gets a yes; L.A. bank robbery movies get a yes. — Bill Simmons
  • Not Pacino overall, but over-the-top late-prime Pacino: everything from Sea of Love on is Apex Mountain, and he is better in Heat than in Scent of a Woman. — Bill Simmons
  • The late-prime run is listed as Glengarry, Scent of a Woman, Carlito's Way, Heat, City Hall, Donnie Brasco, Devil's Advocate, The Insider and Any Given Sunday, whose speech is also iconic. — Bill Simmons
  • Not Val Kilmer's Apex, which is placed earlier around Tombstone; by Dr. Moreau the wheels come off, but it all starts here. — Bill Simmons
  • The Eady actress is proposed as absolutely Apex (NYPD Blue then Heat, leading to Judging Amy) but is vetoed. — Bill Simmons
  • Character actor Voight: yes, as the start of his character-actor journey and a favorite Voight performance. — Bill Simmons
  • Tom Sizemore: Saving Private Ryan may be a more developed role, though Heat plus Ryan is a nice mid-90s run. — Chris Ryan
  • Ashley Judd: no; Double Jeopardy is her Apex. — Bill Simmons
  • Pacino is recapped as a yes; post-prime De Niro is a no because it's too confusing. — Bill Simmons
  • BJs on Alvarado is joked to be Apex because it doesn't exist; Jump Around: definitely not; Piven's Apex may instead be Singles or PCU. — Bill Simmons
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1:22:15

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Yes

Yes

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:15Read transcript
  • Answer: 'Fuck yeah'; one host announces he is ready for Heat to be remade as a 10-episode streaming series with Michael Mann executive producing and new actors. — Bill Simmons
  • Casting in a late-40s to mid-50s bracket: Brad Pitt with dyed black hair as McCauley, and Leo as Vincent ('Pretty good'). — Chris Ryan
  • Denzel as Neil is probably too old; worst cases are Will Smith as Neil or going too young with two current young stars. — Chris Ryan
  • Ruffalo has residual L.A. cop energy from Collateral but may not be big enough; Downey as Neil is floated, and an older, beaten-down Brad Pitt would be watchable. — Bill Simmons
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1:30:43

Who Won the Movie?

Al Pacino; Michael Mann

Al Pacino; Michael Mann

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:43Read transcript
  • One voice picks Pacino this time around as the engine of the movie who brings energy to every scene; a remark that Michael Mann was expected hands down has no resolved speaker. — Bill Simmons
  • The other voice picks Michael Mann because he pulled it off: two great actors and the character actors doing their thing, an almost perfectly cast movie that holds up, created the anti-hero template and has been ripped off for 25 years. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
Bill Simmons
Michael Mann
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