Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
This film is a delicious post-modern romp through a meta-fictional crime caper. What more can I say? It delights in its own awareness of itself, from star Robert Downey Jr.’s studied awkwardness in narrating and in understanding that it is an homage to the pulp crime novels its characters love and mock. It starts out with a whimsical opening that shifts gears into a delightfully glib crime adventure, with the actors taking real joy in telling their tale. I’m not sure about Val Kilmer - his dour, deadpan Parry can’t seem to decide where it wants to go, but it doesn’t go anywhere stereotypical, which is fine.
Kilmer and Downey as Perry and Harry have fantastic chemistry together as enemies and allies, and by the end the rollercoaster plot seems to leave them breathless with fun. I found the whole thing to be completely exciting and funny, and definitely odd. It’s not going to play in the middle states, as our leads aver, but I hope they give it a shot anyway.
The story turns and flips and screeches to a halt and backs up and basically takes you places it completely told you it was going and yet surprises you too. They mock the conventions of movies as well as the Johnny Gossamer books which they either are emulating or resisting being drawn into, however you want to look at it. Look, it’s not the Singing Detective, this is a straightforward caper movie, it’s just got a little bit of a self-referential framing device that really makes the whole thing quite hilarious even when it’s rather dire.
Downey’s criminal character escapes a life of crime and hides in Hollywood, sort of a Much More Than Zero approach to his past problems. What’s marvelous is getting to see him act again, really put himself out there. I’m not saying he was dialing it in during Good Night, and Good Luck, I just mean I missed falling into those limpid brown pools of pathos and watching him do his stuff. He’s a rogue and a gentleman and a weakling like any of us could be, and a ballsy hero and total chicken. What a treat!
I confess, I couldn’t even take any notes - I was just completely sucked in by the whole thing, turning to my companion with sheer delight on my face like, “Wow I am so happy I get to see this!” I resisted awarding it Full Price Feature only for the reason that I think it is a movie that might completely alienate someone who doesn’t want to be reminded he’s watching a movie, that the flip nature of the whole thing mixed however expertly into a mystery drama is just demanding too much. I loved it. I hope you love it too.
MPAA Rating R-language, violence, sexuality, nudity
Release date 11/11/05
Time in minutes 102
Director Shane Black
Studio Warner Brothers
