Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

(Warner Brothers)
Stars Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Directed by Shane Black

Hollywood-has-beens, Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr., should thank their lucky stars for bringing such hilarious characters too life. Who knew the Batman Forever star and former drug addict could pull this off? Shane Black should also be commended for convincing Warner Brothers to green light, possibly the funniest movie of the year.

A petty thief Harry Lockhart (Downey), posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl Harmony (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective “Gay Perry” (Kilmer) who's been training him for his upcoming role.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Black was the man to go to for action scripts. From Lethal Weapon to The Last Boy Scout, and climaxing with one of the best action films of the 1990s, The Long Kiss Goodnight. After what could be a fairly long hiatus, Black returns in strong fashion in his directorial debut.

Kiss Kiss is not necessarily a full on action extravaganza, it is a hearty slice of Los Angeles noir, helped by some pulp fiction crime novels of the 1950s. Black's complex screenplay hugs close the mystery presented, appreciating the conventions of the genre, but taking greater pleasure in giving the material a post-modern twist, with Harry narrating/commenting on the action as if he has a magical remote control that can rewind and fast forward the story at his whim. However, Black's off centered story fully kidnaps his attention, and makes Kiss Kiss look quite childish. This can be forgiven, because it is just so damn funny even if it comes off rather self indulgent.

Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, who are pitch-perfect as opposites forced together by circumstance, perform Black's tongue-twisting script brilliantly. It's wonderful to see Kilmer play loose like this, and frankly, it's just good to see Downey Jr. again, even when put through the spanking machine like the best of Black's protagonists. If you have never noticed Monaghan before, you will remember her after this. She is able to gleefully to pull-off some tasteful slapstick lines in style as well as the physicality that some of the lines involve.

The picture is an array of unusual assortment of tones, sometimes violent, sometimes silly, often both, but it never tires, which should be fully accredited to the filmmaker's deft writing and unexpectedly skillful direction. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is a delightful return to the spotlight for Shane Black, hopefully his next hiatus isn’t nine years long. As we speak, the film is dying at the box office, so see the film. You won't regret it!

out of ten

Reviewed by Dino White

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