The Nice Guys
Directed by: Shane Black
Written by: Shane Black & Anthony Bagarozzi
Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Yaya DaCosta, Keith David, Beau Knapp, Lois Smith, Murielle Telio, Daisy Tahan, Kim Basinger, Jack Kilmer, Lance Valentine Butler
Action/Comedy/Crime - 116 min Reviewed by Charlie Juhl on 19 May 2016
Written by: Shane Black & Anthony Bagarozzi
Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Yaya DaCosta, Keith David, Beau Knapp, Lois Smith, Murielle Telio, Daisy Tahan, Kim Basinger, Jack Kilmer, Lance Valentine Butler
Action/Comedy/Crime - 116 min Reviewed by Charlie Juhl on 19 May 2016
I was not hanging out in Los Angeles in 1977 but word on the street is it was not a very nice place to be; a city in decay perhaps. Director Shane Black, most famous for writing the Lethal Weapon films and directing Iron Man 3, tackles the private eye genre once again since he last attempted it in 2005’s outstanding Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Black whisks the audience back to the ‘70s and dumps an incredibly complex mystery on us where it’s not only hard to keep it all straight, but I’m not sure it all adds up in the end. A bit skewed from what you’re used to, the plot is the window dressing here while the visuals are front and center. The Nice Guys is a welcome return for Shane Black, giving Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling a chance to break out of their staid dramas and try on their comedy coats, and is an amusing time all around in the movie theater.
There is no specific reason Black had to set The Nice Guys in 1977, but he points out it was a time and place in U.S. history where America corrupted its own future. America probably has as much corruption today as it did in ’77, but it was more overt almost 40 years ago. There was a smog epidemic chocking downtown L.A., pessimism washed over society because everyone realized the deck was stacked in favor of big business, come to think of it, 1977 is pretty darn close to 2016. However, playing around in the ‘70s provides an added atmosphere and attitude to the film. It’s funky, playful, and most importantly, funny.
There is no specific reason Black had to set The Nice Guys in 1977, but he points out it was a time and place in U.S. history where America corrupted its own future. America probably has as much corruption today as it did in ’77, but it was more overt almost 40 years ago. There was a smog epidemic chocking downtown L.A., pessimism washed over society because everyone realized the deck was stacked in favor of big business, come to think of it, 1977 is pretty darn close to 2016. However, playing around in the ‘70s provides an added atmosphere and attitude to the film. It’s funky, playful, and most importantly, funny.
Ryan Gosling has played around with comedy before, most recently in The Big Short, but his private detective character, Holland March, borders on slapstick. His methods are what you may call morally ambiguous and he is only a detective in the most elastic definition of the term. The humor surrounding March and Gosling by extension emanates from the fact that March is not an invincible hero; he can and does get hurt. In fact, he’s comparably weak to his partner, Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe, The Water Diviner).
I am not sure Russell Crowe has ever been in a comedy before. He’s doesn’t exactly hurl one-liners here, but his dialogue touches on the biggest reason why The Nice Guys succeeds, he is subverting cliches. We’ve all seen private eye mystery movies before so we maintain particular expectations when the film starts going. The Nice Guys throws all of those stereotypes away and keeps the audience on edge because these two buffoons could really end up in any number of outrageous situations.
Healy is a tough guy for hire; pay him a couple bucks and he’ll break an arm here or rough someone up there. Teaming up to find a missing girl, Amelia (Margaret Qualley), these two dramatic actors establish a natural banter and pull off a buddy movie. Put the two guys together and mix their respective qualities and characteristics, and you pretty much get one guy. Apart, March and Healy each lack certain qualities functioning human beings take for granted.
Running through an ensemble cast of heroes, villains, and in-betweens, the most surprising key supporting character is March’s 13 year-old daughter, Holly (Angourie Rice). Holly props up her alcoholic father and their relationship appears to be Inspector Gadget-like where Gadget’s daughter Penny used to follow him around, steer him toward the clues, and attempt to keep him out of trouble. Holly is the conscience of the detective duo and is a very effective addition to the crew for a role usually spare and little thought about in most movies like this.
Black went out and found the best actors he could, not comedians mind you, but bonafide thespians. These may not be the juiciest roles for actors of this caliber, but Gosling and Crowe take them seriously and realize just how good the dialogue is. The Nice Guys is sort of a companion piece to Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang but more straight forward. It doesn’t go back in time or play around with the narrative as much, but there is a giant smoking, talking bee and some mermaids. If you remember 1977, sit back and enjoy; there is the old Tower Records, there is the hair, the clothes, the drugs, and a pretty good movie.
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