SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Connianatu How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Patience Watson One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Scott LeBrun "City Heat" pairs two macho screen icons, Clint "Dirty Harry" Eastwood and Burt "The Bandit" Reynolds, in an average cops & gangsters saga set in 1933 Kansas City. Clint is ultra-straight police lieutenant Speer, Burt is wisecracking gumshoe Mike Murphy. They were friends when they were both on the force, but now they're often at odds with each other (exactly why there was a falling out, we never really learn). They must work together when Mikes' partner Dehl Swift (Richard "Shaft" Roundtree) buys a whole lot of trouble by getting mixed up with competing gangsters Primo Pitt (Rip Torn) and Leon Coll (Tony Lo Bianco), and a stolen set of ledgers.There are some interesting behind-the-scenes stories that are, in truth, more amusing than the tale being spun in the movie. Apparently, this was originally going to be directed by Blake Edwards, but Clint gave him the boot, ultimately settling on actor-turned-filmmaker Richard Benjamin as a replacement, and brought on a number of his cohorts, including producer Fritz Manes and composer Lennie Niehaus. And Burt got hurt badly during the opening fight set piece; like a trouper, he finished the picture, but could never work for long, and unfortunately suffered some lasting effects from his injuries.The stars are in fine form, as they banter back and forth. Burt definitely has the funnier role and makes the most of it; he's charming as usual. And they're wonderfully supported by Roundtree, songstress Irene Cara, Torn, Lo Bianco, and a typically amusing Madeline Kahn. Lots of familiar faces in small roles, too: William Sanderson, Nicholas Worth, Robert Davi, John Hancock, Jack Thibeau, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Art La Fleur, Jack Nance, Harry Caesar, Hamilton Camp, Arthur Malet, Beau Starr, Richard Foronjy, and Joan Shawlee. But it's a lot of acting talent wasted on what is really just a so-so script. It has some pretty funny humour, but is often played fairly straight, with a lot of gunfire and a few explosions along the way.During the Christmas season of 1984, "Beverly Hills Cop" ended up kicking this movies' ass at the box office, and almost 34 years later, this movie still doesn't have a LOT to recommend it. But it's zippy enough, and reasonably well paced, with some decent period recreation and a nice jazzy score by Niehaus. Thanks to this cast, it certainly remains watchable.Six out of 10.

Spikeopath The weight of expectation for City Heat was massive, two iconic Hollywood actors together in a buddy buddy cop movie, one with nods and homages to film noir and old school gangster movies, it wasn't unreasonable to expect a movie to sit with the best on Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynold's then CV's circa 1984. Unfortunately it's no masterpiece or close to being in the upper echelon's of each actor's respective works. But that doesn't make it a bad film.A change of director saw Blake Edwards replaced by Richard Benjamin after Eastwood and Edwards, ahem, couldn't see eye to eye, so that immediately put the film on the back foot in many critic's eyes. Ironically Benjamin does OK - working from Edwards' script (there's a whole bunch of back stories and tittle-tattle assigned to this film if you care to search for it). Lots of fun here, though, as Clint and Burt, one a cop, the other an ex-cop turned PI, reluctantly team up to cut a swathe through the gangsters ruling the roost in prohibition era Kansas City.Eastwood does his straight backed machismo act, throwing awesome punches along the way, while Reynolds is wonderfully cheerful as a tough guy who all things considered, would rather not get hurt! The script is full of zingers, delivered with customary sardonic self parody by the stars, while the roll call of supporting actors is not to be sniffed at. Period detail is high end, with Nick McLean's photography carrying the requisite neo-noir impact, while the music tracking is pleasingly nostalgic.It's over the top of course and needlessly convoluted as per its yearning to be noirish, yet if you can cut back your expectation levels? And you can simply enjoy the sight of Eastwood and Reynolds having fun romping in this period? Then you just might enjoy this more than you dared to believe. 7/10

Wuchak "City Heat" was released a week before "The Cotton Club" in December, 1984. It's basically a farce version of that film, set in Kansas City. You would think that with Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood this would be a solid gangster comedy, if not great, but you'd be wrong.The opening scene where Reynolds gets in a brawl in a diner while Eastwood coolly sits nearby keys off that "City Heat" is not meant to be taken seriously; in fact, it's downright goofy. It's not a good start and the film never recovers.The movie's only 93 minutes long, but it seems a lot longer. Something about it doesn't click. The characters are cartoons so it's next to impossible to care about them. The problem isn't Reynolds or Eastwood, as they have their usual charisma. The problem is the farcical nature of the material and the convoluted plot.Still, it's amusing at times so it's mildly worthwhile if you're a fan of the stars, just don't expect anything all that good.GRADE: D+ or C-

TxMike This movie is part of a 3-for-1 DVD set of Clint Eastwood movies. None of them arise above the "B" movie genre.Set in the 1930s, here Clint Eastwood is Lieutenant Speer, normally very laid back, to the point where he can watch others beating each other up with no involvement, until ... they cause his coffee or drink to spill. Then he becomes a fighting machine.Burt Reynolds is his friend and investigator Mike Murphy, who is constantly the butt of "short" jokes next to Eastwood.Other notables include Jane Alexander, Madeline Kahn, and Rip Torn. Plus, the singer Irene Cara of "Flashdance" fame plays a singer Ginny Lee.As a movie, overall, it isn't very good. The story is confusing, almost impossible to figure out who is doing what and for what reason. There are lots of fights and lots of shooting, but hardly anyone gets hit with bullets. But as a dark comedy it works pretty well, for the actors in it.