I love film noir movies, especially the black-and-white films made in the 1930s and 1940s that featured cynical private detectives who smoked too much, drank too much, and held cynical views about life in general and women in particular. Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum were masters of film noir, and they wore their slouch fedora hats in a way that made them look both sinister and dissipated.
“Killer Heat” is a worthy addition to the film noir genre. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Nick Bali, an ex New York cop whose life was turned upside down by the discovery of his wife’s infidelity. Bali is a Greek American who speaks the Greek language, so he moves to Athens and sets up shop as a private detective who drinks bourbon straight from the bottle.
Bali is hired by Penelope Vardakis (played by the beautiful Shailene Woodley), the sister-in-law of a wealthy man who died under suspicious circumstances. Bali uses effective but slightly dishonest tactics to solve what turns out to be a murder.
I won’t reveal more of the plot other than to say that the story moves quickly and is enhanced by a backstory that explains why Bali is so bitter about his past.
“Killer Heat” may not be great drama, but film noir fans will enjoy it. For one thing, viewers can understand the plot, which is more than can be said for that famous film noire classic, “The Big Sleep.” The movie is set in Crete, and the Mediterranean landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. You can find this film on Amazon.
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| Killer Heat, a film in the classic film noir tradition |
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