Movie Review

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (R)

Mike Szymanski

Movie Info

Hollywood.com Says
As one of the best noir crime thrillers since L.A. Confidential, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is also going to make you laugh and laugh.

Story
Although it's modern day, there's a distinct Raymond Chandler-esque feel to this story about a petty thief named Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) who lucks into a movie audition and finds himself heading to Hollywood. Harry is replacing Colin Farrell as a detective in a film and to get the realism of the part, he's shown the detecting ropes by Det. Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), also known as Gay Perry--because he's gay. Then, Harry runs into his old high school sweetie, Harmony (Michelle Monaghan), at a Hollywood party. She believes Harry is a real detective and begs him to help her. That's when the bodies begin coming out of the woodwork. Greed, torture and mayhem ensue.

Acting
If there's any way to prove that Downey is back in true form, this is it. He's glib, charming, deep and truly becomes a modern-day Chaplin in this very trampy role. Kilmer avoids some of the stereotypes of playing gay, but as he points out, "we're not good cop, bad cop, we're fag and New Yorker." Both deserve awards. Monaghan holds her own as a feisty red-head. Even Downey's real-life son Indio--who plays his character in the early flashback scenes--shows incredible promise as an actor.

Direction
This is the Shane Black’s directorial debut, the same guy who wrote Lethal Weapon and Long Kiss Goodnight. He knows violence, that’s for sure, but he also has a keen sense of humor. In Kiss Kiss, he mixes them well. Black sets the mood with Downey--giving his best Bogie-like voiceover-- narrating the action along the way. This is better than Get Shorty as far as a dark look into the entertainment industry, and far more entertaining. And, as Harry's character promises, "I've seen Lord of the Rings and we're not going to end this 17 times."

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Everyone's a Critic

“Screenwriter Shane Black creates a movie that is defiantly smartass and too cool for the room."
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

“103 minutes of nonstop glossy patter proves wearing."
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang may be a prank, but it's a very smart prank, and any film that can tickle the brain and ribs at the same time is nothing to sneeze at."
Jan Stuart, Newsday

“…a directorial debut that is every bit as good as Shane Black’s writing."
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

“Not content to toss off one-upping dialogue at a dizzying clip, Black must finally get around to laying out a plot, and here things get quickly tangled."

Todd McCarthy, Variety