Stars of Boston-set 'The Heat' reflect on bombings

MICHAEL CIDONI LENNOX

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The director and stars of the new cop comedy "The Heat" say they hope their film will provide some comic relief to Bostonians in the wake of Monday's marathon bombings.

Director Paul Feig, and actresses Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy promoted "Heat" Thursday at CinemaCon, the annual convention of theater exhibitors. "The Heat" casts Bullock and McCarthy as an FBI agent and a Boston cop forced together to take on a violent drug lord.

"The movie is such a love letter to Boston," Feig ("Bridesmaids") said on the press line before presenting the film's trailer to a theater full of exhibitors. "It's not a movie where it's supposed to be New York but it's shot in Boston," he continued. "This takes place in Boston. We have Boston natives in the movie, like Jane Curtin and (comic-actor) Bill Burr and (New Kids on the Block member) Joey McIntyre — all these famous Bostonians are in it. And if this movie can help Boston laugh, than that would be great."

There is at least one major explosion and some "Lethal Weapon"-style action violence in the film — portions of which were filmed last year in and around Boston.

Noted Bullock, "I think having been there, having had our entire crew around us all the time, who are all from Boston, you're just hoping. And when you see the aftermath, I try to look on the other side, which is, 'Look how amazing the people were. Look at those people that ran towards everyone without thinking twice about themselves.'"

Bullock, McCarthy and Feig each expressed hope there would be screenings of the film in Boston to assist the bombing victims, but they said no plans had firmed up.

A spokeswoman for the film's distributor, 20th Century Fox, said via email, "We plan to screen the film in Boston timed to release. It's not pegged to a charity or recent events. Just a special screening in the town where it was shot."

"The Heat" is set to open in the U.S. on June 27.

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Online:

http://www.theheatmovie.com