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Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

by T.O. Lawrence
11/18/2006

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Hmm... all right. In recent history there have to be only one or two movie titles that even come close to this movie's stupid nomer (Lucky Number Slevin springs to mind). It tastes like some verbal concoction of cheap beer and mouthwash when you say it. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang... ugh.

But, as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover... or it's title. Really, the flick ain't so bad. It's your basic detective story about the ridiculousness of Hollywood and the hopes of Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) to gain the affection of his long lost high school crush, Harmony (Michelle Monaghan). Val Kilmer plays Perry Van Shrike, Downey's coach for his movie role as a detective, which he garnered after a botched robbery attempt in New York. Throughout the entirety of the film, Downey acts as our guide and narrator to the weirdness that exists as an integral part of the Tinseltown mentality.

Reminiscent of SLC Punk, the film becomes extremely self-reflexive through use of heavy narration, as well as the some non-filmic conventions that add tremendous humor and style to the work. This, to our more pretentious viewers, couples with the plot, examining the art of filmmaking in the Oz that is L.A., and the intrinsic paradoxes and insanities contained therein. It showcases all the clues, hints at all possible endings and takes all the ludicrous turns as if shouted from a rabid group of MST3K imitators in the front row.

With the same type of buddy humor that torched through theatres in the '90s, it's extremely evident that Shane Black, writer of Lethal Weapon, had a heavy hand in its construction. The camerawork and cinematography are woefully unexciting as a result, but really there wasn't all that much to showcase Black as a director.

His writing, however, floats the movie easily regardless of how uninspired his direction may be. Quips, pun and witticisms abound, almost like a James Bond flick without the gadgets or the ego. With Downey's narration, the movie becomes extremely self-involved, to the point where it feels like a campfire story shared over a slowly drained bottle of Ouzo and a suitcase of genuine Milwaukee. As stupid and whacky as the entire thing gets, it stays believable and interesting in the best possible ways.

Downey does an exceptional job carrying Black's dialogue, propelling the movie forward with conniption fit randomness and the charm of a coked-up ADD kid. His nice-guy-in-a-bad-place mentality is (surprisingly) believable and offers a breath of fresh air to those of us who want to be reminded of the dorks we were in high school. He manages to outwit the bad guys with such a complete absence of class or understanding that you love him all the more for his bumbling niceties and incompetent attempts at the detective lifestyle.

Kilmer, playing opposite Downey, gives about as much to the movie as a boot through the screen. A pisspoor portrayal of a hyper-homosexual P.I. adds a lot of well-written, arrogant humor to the film without any concomitant acting skill. Occasionally, he can pop a golden line or two, but his dead weight is for the most part dragged along by the cleverness of the dialogue and the affable performance of Downey.

From a beginning laden with lies and child abuse to a finale that takes gun fighting to a wholly original level of what-the-fuckery, this movie glues you to the seat if for nothing else than a glimpse at what new thing Downey can find to mess up next. All-in-all, the movie is a spicy take on a bland subject and really does offer something original and intelligent. Please, neglect their mistakes in title and rent this film. It's definitely worth your while.

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