Body Heat

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Body Heat

R

Released Aug 28, 1981

1h 53m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Shyster lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) begins a passionate affair with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), wife of a wealthy Florida businessman (Richard Crenna). With the help of one of his criminal clients, bomb maker Teddy Lewis (Mickey Rourke), Ned hatches a scheme to kill Matty's husband so that they can run away together with his money. But complications build upon double-crosses, launching the hapless lawyer into a situation far more treacherous than he imagined.

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Critics Consensus

Made from classic noir ingredients and flavored with a heaping helping of steamy modern spice, Body Heat more than lives up to its evocative title.

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

There's no mistaking the fact that Kasdan loves the tawdry genre he's working in.

May 9, 2017

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Ian Nathan

Empire Magazine

Still regarded as one of the steamiest movie's of all time, Body Heat is a fantastic exponenet of how noir has developed.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 8, 2008

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Lawrence Kasdan's 1981 noir fable is highly derivative in its overall conception, but it finds some freshness in its details.

Feb 8, 2008

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…a few questionable plot points aside, Body Heat still stands out from the crowd by dint of the fiercely amoral characters, tricky plotting and ripe, languid atmosphere…

Rated: 4/5

Jun 16, 2025

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Zita Short

InSession Film

It is very difficult to see this as a love story when Walker and Racine are only sexually attracted to one another. Despite the fact that they frequently claim to love one another, we get a lot of evidence to the contrary.

Feb 2, 2023

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Michael Clark

Epoch Times

Kasdan’s first feature showed a veteran’s level of assurance and confidence. From the writing to the direction to the character arcs to the crack ensemble performances, “Body Heat” is one of the finest examples of film noir ever made.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 11, 2022

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Audience Member

Watching this in 2025. It's really good. A twisted femme fatale movie of the highest order. Great acting and the story was exceptional AND original. An easy keeper for your movie collection.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Leaburn O

Fantastically acted and gripping noir. Hurt and Turner are both excellent and the production is so atmospheric. The script is tight and compelling with good twists, even when predictable. Watched on DVD.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

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Craig L

Inspired by Double Indemnity, this noir favorite stands the test of time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

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Dallas H

Neo-noir in peak form. Its director, Lawrence Kasdan, proves he can step away from the writer's desk long enough to helm a movie production and not just write the story for it. I love the hauntingly mellow jazz music composed by John Barry. Another highlight of the movie I got a kick out of here is the appearance of Ted Danson and a baby-faced Mickey Rourke in supporting roles. I liked this flick and plan to watch it again in the future.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

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Alec C

Feel the heat of this sultry and spicy thriller of passion, betrayal and murder! Trapped in an affair that turns deadly, our protagonist gets roped into a devious scheme that could end with him imprisoned and on death row. We all watch as he goes deeper and deeper with the threat of betrayal growing nearer!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/16/23

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j f

South Florida never changes

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/05/23

Full Review

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Lawrence Kasdan

Director

William Hurt

Ned Racine

Kathleen Turner

Matty Walker

Richard Crenna

Edmund Walker

Ted Danson

Peter Lowenstein

J.A. Preston

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Synopsis

Shyster lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) begins a passionate affair with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), wife of a wealthy Florida businessman (Richard Crenna). With the help of one of his criminal clients, bomb maker Teddy Lewis (Mickey Rourke), Ned hatches a scheme to kill Matty's husband so that they can run away together with his money. But complications build upon double-crosses, launching the hapless lawyer into a situation far more treacherous than he imagined.

Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Producer: Fred T. Gallo
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: The Ladd Company
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 28, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Mono

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