mashatupitsyn:

The real love affair in this film is between these two men. The two men (brothers) of American cinema.

“What are you, a monk?”

Yesterday I posted images of Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh saying “When you love someone, the best thing you can offer him or her is your presence.” McCauley (De Niro) says he’ll never get so attached to someone that he can’t walk out on them in 30 seconds. He can’t really give anyone his presence, living this way. He’s always watching the door.

Thich Nhat Hanh also says, “To be loved means to be recognized as existing.” These two men see each other. They understand each other. In the great final shot of Heat, Hanna (Pacino) gives McCauley his presence. He recognizes him as existing.