Kiss Kiss Bang Bang [DVD] [2005]

Cruelly underperforming at the box office, the film finds Robert Downey Jr as a small time thief, who quite literally finds himself stumbling into the world of acting. With a potential role as a private detective in the offing, his agent arranges for him to spend his time with private investigator Val Kilmer. All is fairly light, until a dead body crosses their paths and a genuine mystery presents itself.

And that then sets the scene for a pacey, energetic film spearheaded by a trio of strong performances. The main plaudits should go to the interplay between Kilmer and Downey Jr, who both eat up their respective best roles in years. Meeting them head on though is Michelle Monaghan, who plays a wannabe actress with a talent for fast talking, and looks that Downey Jr’s Harry can’t help but resist.

Now it’s fair to argue that the setup itself doesn’t feel particularly fresh. Yet the execution most certainly is, with Black savvy enough to know when to avoid the genre clichés, and when to drive his script right through the middle of them with a great big grin on his face. Grounded by a splendidly witty narration from Downey Jr, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is, at the point this review is being written, an underappreciated gem. Hopefully time, and DVD, will see it right.--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Screenwriter Shane Black of LETHAL WEAPON fame makes his directorial debut with this film noir gem. Robert Downey, Jr, stars as Harry Lockhart, a petty thief who stumbles into acting and soon finds himself in Los Angeles, auditioning for a film role as a private detective. To help Harry prepare, his new agent arranges for him to shadow real-life P.I. Perry van Shrike, also known as 'Gay Perry', (Val Kilmer). But when Perry takes Harry along on a routine job for a mystery client, the two men witness the disposal of a dead body, and the game suddenly intensifies. Adding to the intrigue is Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan), a beautiful and smart-as-a-whip wannabe starlet with whom Harry is so smitten that he pretends to be a real detective. Soon Harry, Perry, and Harmony are tangled in a life-threatening web of murder, deception, and treachery. Downey is a delight, exhibiting perfect comic timing while infusing Harry with just enough heart to show that, despite appearances, he really is a good guy. Kilmer is the ideal buddy for Downey, playing the no-nonsense private investigator Perry with the right mixture of machismo and stereotypical Tinseltown superficiality. As Harry's dream girl, Harmony, Monaghan embodies the good girl whose dreams are looking increasingly unattainable and who has clearly been around the block more than a couple of times. Top-notch performances combined with Black's wickedly amusing banter and a plot laden with twists and turns make this action-thriller a treat.

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