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Downey and Kilmer Are Great in Comic L.A. Neo-Noir
into Independent Films, into action flicks, waiting for the DVD, Lover of quirky, unique films, Movie guru, Blogger, a man, forty something
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JUL
23
2008
Although it takes its title from a book of film criticism by Pauline Kael, Shane's Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is based in part upon Brett Halliday's Michael Shayne mystery, Bodies Are Where You Find Them. Black made his name writing the screenplays of over-the-top action flicks like The Last Boy Scout and the first three Leathal Weapon films, and this film is his directorial debut. His hilarious script shows that he has developed into a much better, if more cynical, writer. The rapid-fire dialogue between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer is some of the best hardboiled repartee heard since the 1940s (but with a lot more F words).
Downey plays Harry Lockhart, our narrator, a petty thief turned aspiring actor who takes "private detective lessons" from Gay Perry, played with by Kilmer. Michelle Monahan (Gone Baby Gone, The Bourne Supremacy) plays Harry's longtime crush, Harmony Faith Lane.
The wisecracks fly fast and furious as the violence escalates, and the preposterous plot twists and coincidences typical of the genre multiply. Downey's character breaks "the fourth wall" many times over the course of his narration, delivered with deadpan brilliance.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a highly enjoyable action thriller which didn't make a whole lot of money at the box office, but has since become a bit of a cult film, so I hope that Shane Black gets another shot at directing. He's come a long way since The Last Action Hero.
Last edited on Jul 23, 2008
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is recommended by jmdobies
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