Film and TV
Underappreciated: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
“I call this my faggot gun.” Welcome to the hilarious buddy-cop world of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with the ever-charming Robert Downey Jr.
“You don’t get it do you? This isn’t 'good cop, bad cop'. This is fag and New Yorker. You’re in a lot of trouble.”
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is the directorial of Shane Black, the man behind such films as Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon II, Lethal Weapon III and Lethal Weapon IV. It doesn’t exactly sound like a slice of cinematic gold and it opened in 2005 to a rather quiet reception. Yet this is a film that deserves so much more attention than it received and thoroughly knocks the spots off most of the other action-comedies released in recent years.
The plot centres on the adventures of wisecracking Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.). Harry is a petty thief who, through a bizarre series of events, accidentally ends up being cast as a private detective in a new movie. As a result he ends up in L.A. shadowing a real-life detective known as ‘Gay’ Perry (Val Kilmer). Things get interesting however, when Perry and Harry discover the body of the daughter of a local tycoon. Harry also bumps into an old school crush, Harmony, whose sister commits suicide in suspicious circumstances. The three of them then get swept up in a web of lies, kidnap and murder as they try to catch the bad guys. Downey Jr.’s character narrates the film, keeping us up to speed with the wacky events in the style of a film-noir/pulp fiction crime thriller.
One thing is certain with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: you won’t get bored watching. It is packed with clever dialogue and witty one-liners and the rapport between the two leads is fantastic. Black cleverly reworks the sort of buddy-cop relationship seen in his earlier films to deliver something much more unconventional and entertaining. The film is very knowing of the conventions of Hollywood action thrillers and Black makes a conscious effort to think outside the box and deliver a clever variation on common themes. What he produced is a wonderfully dark comedy and fast-paced detective yarn. The action sequences are not forgotten either, with some brilliantly choreographed car chases and shoot-outs. The language used is rather strong so might not be for some, but the dialogue and the acting in the film is so entertaining it almost overshadows the plot at times. That’s not to say, of course, that the plot is weak. Indeed it has enough twists and turns to keep even the most knowledgeable film-fan engaged. The final act cleverly mocks certain Hollywood conventions and it is well worth the wait.
The shear brilliance of the performances by Downey Jr. and Kilmer steals the movie. Downey Jr. exudes wit and energy as the hapless thief thrust out of his depth. Most people think of Tropic Thunder or Iron Man as his come-back piece, but his performance in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang outclasses both of them. Kilmer, meanwhile, who made a god-awful Batman, really shines as Perry. He never turns Perry into a Hollywood stereotype, getting the clever play on the tough-guy private investigator just right. The man should do comedy more often.
It is a real shame that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was so overlooked in theatrical releases in 2005. But there is hope in the form of its growing cult following, and everyone I know who’s seen it gives it rave reviews. It is a thrilling, hilarious and attention-grabbing film and stands up to the challenge of repeat viewings. If you’re a fan of Robert Downey Jr. in the Iron Man franchise then chances are you’ll love this.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is showing at St John’s Films on 23rd May.
Topics: Film, Underappreciated
