Neil McCauley is a thief... an expert thief... one of the best. His philosophy in life - become attached to nothing in life that you can't walk away from in 30 seconds if you spot the "Heat" around the corner. His crew of criminals is a high-tech outfit pulling off professional jobs that impress even the likes of Detective Vincent Hanna. But Hanna, a man driven through life only by his work, becomes obsessed, at the expense of his private life, with bringing McCauley down. As McCauley's crew prepare for the score of a lifetime, and Hanna's team tries to bring him in, the two find that they are challenged by the greatest minds on the opposite side of the law that either one has ever encountered.

In a promotional interview for The Keep (1983), director Michael Mann stated that he wanted to see "Heat" brought to the screen (it was already written) but had no interest in directing it.

Neil McCauley:
He knew the risks, he didn't have to be there. It rains... you get wet.

Continuity: When McCauley confronts Charlene in the hotel room, a coat hanger is visible in the mirror behind Charlene. When looking directly at the rack (which is located behind McCauley), the coat hanger is not visible.

Music by Passengers
Performed by Passengers
Courtesy of Island Records Ltd.
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Licensing