Robert De Niro‘s character of Neil McCauley in Heat is one of the most iconic roles of his storied career. Michael Mann‘s crime drama was a monumental moment in cinema history as it paired together two of the most acclaimed actors of all time – Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Although they both appeared in the Oscar-winning movie, The Godfather Part II, they did not share the screen as their characters were portrayed in completely different time periods.
Heat was released in 1995 and quickly became a beloved crime movie. The story follows Lt. Vincent Hanna (Pacino), an LAPD detective who begins to close in on a group of high-end career criminals led by the master thief Neil McCauley (De Niro). As the group begin to feel the “heat” from Hanna and his team, they plan one last score. Bizarrely, Heat was completely overlooked come awards season, however, it continues to resonate with audiences, leaving a lasting legacy on the crime genre and inspiring countless movies in the same realm. So, let’s delve into the character of Neil McCauley and Robert De Niro’s timeless portrayal.
Who Was Neil McCauley?
In Heat, Al Pacino’s Hanna is completely devoted to his job, to the point where his personal life is in shambles. However, this dedication has led him to become a master of his job, and the same goes for McCauley, just on the other side of the law. McCauley is an intelligent thief. He’s suave and sophisticated and takes pride in his work. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but if it comes to a matter of them or him, he will kill if necessary. His devotion to his work has led him to lead a bleak existence, with the iconic shot of his apartment overlooking the Hollywood hills encapsulating his closed off world. However, a loneliness oozes out of his tough exterior, as we see a man whose secret criminal life has stripped away any chance of friendship, love or courtship.
How Michael Mann Made Heat’s Villain Relatable
As mentioned, the beginning of Heat introduces the audience to a dedicated thief in Robert De Niro‘s Neil McCauley. A man that deserves to be behind bars, yet, we oddly root for him. This is because although he is a man operating on the wrong side of the law, he follows a strict set of rules. He is not evil or vicious, and avoids violence at all costs. However, a ruthless side will come to light if it needs to, creating a complex and captivating character.
When a security guard is killed on a score, McCauley decides to take out the man responsible, Waingro (Kevin Cage), a member of the team whose wayward ways don’t gel with McCauley’s morals, rules or ethics. However, this backfires and Waingro gets away. This then serves as a backstory played throughout the entire film. This scene set the tone for Neil McCauley in Heat.
From here, the audience now sits comfortably with the notion of trying to understand this man, a smart move from Michael Mann in the writing process. Although Heat is a very unique movie, the only cliche aspect of the picture is the introduction of Eady (Amy Brenneman), a free-spirited artistic woman who manages to beak through McCauley’s steel framework when she strikes up a conversation with him in a coffee shop. Although dismissive and paranoid at first, McCauley let’s down his guard after being somewhat rude to Eady. Once again, this makes his character more relatable, as we see his conscience and openness to a meaningful connection come to the surface. To that, this dropping of the guard then ignites a romance between the two.
McCauley Lives On Despite His On-screen Death
After an intense game of cat-and-mouse, Hanna finally outsmarts McCauley and kills him in the final frame of the movie. By this point, the audience feels sorrow for McCauley, as his intentions to leave a life of crime with Eady are completely thwarted. Al Pacino‘s Hanna doesn’t take comfort in the act though, as earlier in the movie, the iconic restaurant scene sees the two men find a common ground while they come face to face, identifying that they are both men dedicated to their work and highly-skilled at what they do.
Although the demise of Neil McCauley in Heat is the lasting moment of the film, the character now lives on in another form. In 2022, Michael Mann joined forces with bestselling author Meg Gardiner to expand the gripping world of Heat with the novel, Heat 2. This eagerly anticipated book masterfully navigates through various timelines, providing readers with a deeper exploration of the aftermath of the movie’s intense events. Furthermore, Heat 2 breathes new life into Neil McCauley, as it delves into the intriguing origin stories of both McCauley and Vincent Hanna, shedding light on their motivations, desires, and complex relationships.
Will Neil McCauley Feature in ‘Heat 2’?
As of the time of writing, a movie adaptation of Heat 2 is in pre-production. There has been no official casting announcements as of yet, however, Adam Driver has been attached to the role of a young Neil McCauley for quite some time. If this casting choice comes to light, this would mark the second time Driver has worked with Mann after 2023’s Ferrari.
Other stars who have expressed their desires to star in Heat 2 include Channing Tatum, Austin Butler (who bears a striking resemblance to Heat‘s Val Kilmer) and Jeremy Allen White. Want to read more about Michael Mann’s achievements in film? Here’s our guide to his top 5 movies.
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