A guy told me one time: ‘Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.’
—Neil McCauley
Do you enjoy watching crime dramas?
Well, I certainly do.
I’ve watched so many of them over the years. But there’s one, in particular, that keeps drawing me back.
It’s gripping. It’s profound. It’s tragic.
Heat certainly ranks up there as being among the best that I’ve seen.
Michael Mann’s masterpiece is more than just a cops-and-robbers flick. It’s an exploration of discipline, obsession, and the price of living by a certain code.
Source: IMDB
On one side, you have Neil McCauley, a professional thief played by Robert De Niro. He’s coldly methodical. Utterly devoted to his craft. He operates by the rule of walking out in 30 seconds flat if he feels the heat around the corner.
Meanwhile, on the other side, you’ve got Vincent Hanna, a LAPD detective played by Al Pacino. He’s propelled by restless energy. He’s an apex predator who’s always on the hunt.
So, what you have are two men on opposite ends of the law. Both are driven by neurotic impulses. Are they simply opposite sides of the same coin?
Source: IMDB
Now, if you have watched the movie, then you already know that there’s this scene of Neil McCauley and Vincent Hanna facing off in a diner.
- It’s an epic scene. A legendary meeting of the minds.
- When McCauley and Hanna speak, they do so in a gritty language that appears to be informed by street-level reality. There’s mutual respect and empathy.
- The two men bond over their failure to maintain steady romantic relationships with women. Why? Well, why not? They have spent all their time chasing or evading each other — to the extent that their obsessions have destroyed any potential to have a happy home life.
- It’s sad but inevitable. McCauley and Hanna understand that this is the price that they must pay. And in a moment of shared recognition, neither offers any regrets for doing so. This is their lot in life, and they must pursue it to its natural end.
What I love about Heat is that it taps into an unspoken truth bubbling under the surface.
- Yes, cops and criminals are in violent conflict with one another. Nevertheless, they still need each other to find meaning and purpose. They are locked in a strange kind of symbiosis.
- Just think about it. A cop will always need someone to chase. And a criminal will always need someone to run from.
- Every move is calculated. Every decision carries weight. And the line between hunter and hunted blurs into poetry. Sometimes the greatest profit isn’t in what you gain, but in what you refuse to lose.
Source: Google Finance
Now, lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the philosophy of Heat. I’ve been thinking about how it might relate to a particular company I’ve been watching.
- Its stock price has skyrocketed 800% in just five years. It’s had a remarkable bull run. The eternal battle between cop and criminal has created a robust demand for its law-enforcement products.
- I’m wondering: is there more fuel left in the tank for this company? Or is the juice about to run out? What are the risks here?
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