00s Movie Review - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Director: Shane Black
Genre: Crime/ Comedy/ Mystery
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2005
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bensen, Larry Miller, Rockmund Dunbar, Dash Mihok, Shannyn Sossamon

Description: After being mistaken for an actor, a New York thief (Robert Downey Jr.) is sent to Hollywood to train under a private eye (Val Kilmer) for a potential movie role, but the duo are thrown together with a struggling actress (Michelle Monaghan) into a murder mystery.

Review: Director Shane Black was inspired by the film noir genre and old detective novels that he read as a kid. This you can see in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. Before he started directing, he wrote scripts for movies like the “Lethal Weapon” series. 

Completely in the ‘40s and ‘50s style. Very early in the movie there are some unexplained deaths, the plot gets more complex and the climax is nothing you would ever think of. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer are great, separate and together. Both combine their charisma and flair with energy and perfect comedic timing. 

Downey Jr. plays Harry Lockhart, a small time crook who accidentally gets a job as an actor. Because he has to play a detective, he spends time with private detective Perry von Shrike, also known as Gay Perry. The clumsy optimist Harry and cynical and experienced Perry are not the best duo, but this is a guarantee for great scenes and dialogues. The two get involved in two very complicated cases. Perry is constantly annoyed by Harry’s way of dealing with it all. 

The chapters are narrated by Downey Jr. and this fits the movie perfectly. This narrator has more control over the film however. Sometimes he will freeze a scene or rewind it and he is directly talking to us, the viewers. 

“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is one of the best crime comedies ever made and especially the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer is genius. A very promising and impressive directorial debut from Shane Black.

Rating: 5/ 5