As the classic thriller reenters the spotlight with its in-development sequel, Robert De Niro is weighing in on one aspect of Heat’s ending. The two-time Oscar winner starred in Michael Mann’s critically acclaimed crime epic as Neil McCauley, a professional thief whose profession begins closing in the walls around him as an intense LAPD detective begins investigating him following a botched robbery. Heat also saw Neil begin to see the opportunity for a normal life present itself, entering a relationship with a graphic designer, which begins to distract him from the growing danger around him.
In honor of Zero Day’s release, De Niro sat down with GQ to reflect on some of the more iconic roles of his career. While looking at Neil in Heat, the Oscar winner was asked his thoughts on the movie’s ending, namely whether he felt that his character ultimately broke his own rule about personal attachments, with De Niro definitively agreeing that Neil’s downfall was his own doing. See De Niro’s explanation in the quote and video below:

Yeah, he does [break his own rule]. He went to see the girl, and decided to go, and that was when he should’ve kept moving.

Neil Came Full Circle In Time For His Demise

While the majority of the film showed McCauley to be a calculated and efficient leader of a band of thieves, Heat’s ending presented a very different picture of De Niro’s character as he broke his biggest rule of allowing himself to be tied down to anything, but through multiple means. As the Oscar winner notes, Neil ultimately went back for Eady in an effort to escape the country with her, but more than that, he also allowed himself to get distracted by the opportunity to enact revenge on Kevin Gage’s Waingro, doing away with all of his usual mindfulness.
This all ultimately led to the iconic foot chase between McCauley and Al Pacino’s Hanna, with the latter coming victorious in a gunfight on the tarmac of LAX. But while some have debated whether this was an out-of-character decision for the professional, others have expressed their belief it marked a full-circle development for Neil in Heat, as De Niro’s character finally allows himself the chance to enjoy a normal life with Eady. However, it’s Neil’s decision to further distract himself with Waingro’s killing that has further divided fans of the film, with many calling it a step too far.

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It is interesting to note that while De Niro offers a definitive stance on Neil going back for Eady, he doesn’t explicitly state his thoughts on Neil killing Waingro in Heat’s ending. Considering the decision about Eady came first, and could be seen as a bigger risk for him than revenge, since romance isn’t typically in the cards for a professional criminal, it makes sense why De Niro would point to that first. However, given Waingro’s actions were what led to the deaths of many close to Neil, the Oscar winner may also ultimately agree with the decision.
Neil Breaking The Rules Was The Right Choice

As disheartening as his death remains 30 years later, I can’t deny that Neil’s decision to break his rule in Heat’s ending is one that still makes a lot of sense in the thematic scheme of things. With Michael Mann having started his career with the neo-noir heist thriller Thief, an underrated gem in and of itself, the 1995 movie felt like a nice evolution of James Caan’s previous character, another sympathetic thief. While I’m still intrigued to see De Niro’s thoughts on Neil also killing Waingro over focusing on his escape, Heat 2 could offer some extra explanation for this.
Source: GQ

Movie

My Favorite Movies
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Heat

10/10

Release Date

December 15, 1995

Runtime

170 minutes

Director

Michael Mann

Writers

Michael Mann