City Heat

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City Heat

PG

1984

1h 37m

Action

Comedy

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

22%

Tomatometer

18 Reviews

24%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In 1933, private investigator Mike Murphy (Burt Reynolds) is shocked when his partner, Dehl Swift (Richard Roundtree), is killed by thugs working for Primo Pitt (Rip Torn). Furious, Murphy asks his former police partner, Lt. Speer (Clint Eastwood), for help in putting a stop to the mobster. Though the two men now despise each other, Speer reluctantly agrees to help Murphy solve the murder -- while both court the private eye's secretary, Addy (Jane Alexander).

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

... the movie's never as good as it might have been.

Jan 4, 2018

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Variety Staff

Variety

An amiable but decidedly lukewarm confection geared entirely around the two star turns.

Dec 8, 2007

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

It's certainly not a subtle movie, but with memorable performances, ludicrously over-the-top one-liners and amiable zaniness, it qualifies as a lot of fun.

Feb 9, 2006

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

There's little doubt that City Heat gets off to a distressingly disastrous start...

Rated: 2/4

Mar 19, 2020

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Molly Haskell

Vogue

Burt and Clint might not go down as one of the great comic teams in history, but as a private investigator and a cop in City Heat, they bring fireworks to a lackluster season.

Feb 28, 2020

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David Elliott

Copley News Service

Imagine The Sting without charm, and you have a fix on City Heat.

Feb 22, 2019

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nick s

Great production effort recreating 1930s scenes and costumes. Street scenes in particular looked good. But I find it hard to get into a movie with a larky vibe where the main characters don't take their situation seriously. The very first fight scene is a good demonstration of this. The director killed the intensity for a couple of cheap laughs. I guess it was an 80s buddy cop movie thing but it doesn't age well.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

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Steve D

So many cliches that it never ends up working.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/07/23

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Audience Member

22% really? 90% for me. Its great to see Eastwood in his usual grumpy mean self up against a totally inept comedy style of Reynolds.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

r 9

Clint Eastwood carries it, but 'City Heat' as a whole is just about good. Burt Reynolds makes for a solid partner for Eastwood, though his character isn't as strong as the latter's - who is played by the film's standout, no doubt. There's not any star performers behind those two, though Richard Roundtree and Rip Torn are alright. One positive, though, is the 1930s set design, which I really liked. Not the most memorable flick, you could say it ought to be due to the double act up top, but I still found it to be a satisfactory watch.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Paul H

I'd say this film and Pink Cadillac are the two worst movies that Clint Eastwood ever made.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/31/20

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Audience Member

Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds are one hell of a pairing. I would say that makes this worth the watch

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Richard Benjamin

Director

Clint Eastwood

Lieutenant Speer

Burt Reynolds

Mike Murphy

Jane Alexander

Addy

Madeline Kahn

Caroline Howley

Rip Torn

Primo Pitt

Lone Wolf McQuade

57%

67%

Lone Wolf McQuade

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Gator

25%

43%

Gator

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Dick Tracy

63%

53%

Dick Tracy

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White Lightning

67%

62%

White Lightning

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Charley Varrick

81%

83%

Charley Varrick

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Synopsis

In 1933, private investigator Mike Murphy (Burt Reynolds) is shocked when his partner, Dehl Swift (Richard Roundtree), is killed by thugs working for Primo Pitt (Rip Torn). Furious, Murphy asks his former police partner, Lt. Speer (Clint Eastwood), for help in putting a stop to the mobster. Though the two men now despise each other, Speer reluctantly agrees to help Murphy solve the murder -- while both court the private eye's secretary, Addy (Jane Alexander).

Director: Richard Benjamin
Producer: Fritz Manes
Screenwriter: Joseph C. Stinson, Blake Edwards
Production Co: Warner Bros., Malpaso Company
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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