I'll just say it at the very start, I loved Body Heat. It is a neo-noir, which as far as I can tell is no different from film noir aside from the eras they are made. The film can almost be called a remake of Double Indemnity as the plot points are eerily similar. But it is important to note that they are two very different films despite their similarities. For instance, film noirs like Double Indemnity relied almost exclusively on its sharp dialogue to get its point across. In a way that makes a lot of sense because there were strict codes back then regarding sexuality. Think about the common elements in these types of movies. They almost always feature a sexy seductive woman, but the movies couldn't really show you any skin or obvious sex stuff, so they had to imply seduction, romance, love, and sex through dialogue. Modern films have no such restrictions and Body Heat is overflowing with sex. The first parts of the movie focuses almost exclusively on the carnal desire between Ned and Matty. The film flaunts its sexuality but not in a gratuitous way. It is important to see these scenes to set up just how intoxicated they have become with each other and how blinded by lust they are.
Ned (William Hurt) meets a wealthy woman Matty (Kathleen Turner) one day and instantly falls for her. She is married, but that does not deter him from pursuing her. They eventually go at it and begin a torrid affair. Life is all good for the two lovers if not for the pesky issue of Matty's husband... I suppose I don't have to say what they do next. The film has some great twists and turns and lots of tension as you wonder if they're going to get away with it.
The weather in the movie plays an important part of the movie. Florida is in the middle of brutal heat wave and everybody is sweating. In one of the sexiest scenes of the movie, Ned and Matty are both naked literally dripping with sweat but they can't keep their hands off each other. The hot weather is symbolic of their affair with each other, but as Ned's detective friend tells him, "When it gets this hot, people try to kill each other." While at first the heat represented their passion for each other, it changes to signify the sticky situation Ned and Matty have gotten into. Incorporating weather elements into stories have been done since forever as it is an effective tool for symbolism, emotions, themes, etc.
I really liked everything about the film. I loved the story, the hot steaming sex (not entirely in that perverted way, but in how it adds to the mood of the film), the twists, the turns, the music, the characters, everything. Really great film.
Grade: A
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