KISS KISS, BANG BANG

Directed by Shane Black

Starring Robert Downey Jr.

Reviewed by Byron Merritt

THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!

Harry Lockhart, (Robert Downey Jr., CHAPLIN) is a down-on-his-luck petty thief who accidentally gets his partner-in-crime killed one fateful evening while trying to burgle a toy store. Harry is able to slip away from the cops by stumbling into a movie audition and, to his surprise, procuring the part! He’s whisked away to Hollywood where he meets up with Gay Perry (Val Kilmer, TOMBSTONE), a private eye who’s supposed to help train Harry for his upcoming movie role. But things aren’t as they seem. The only reason Harry was sent to Hollywood was to be the fall-guy for the murder of a young socialite. Harry also meets up with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony (Michelle Monaghan, NORTH COUNTRY) and sparks begin to fly ...right after she slams Harry’s hand in a door, causing him to lose a finger.

Harry and Gay Perry are forcibly teamed up together due to their circumstances. Harry turns out to be one helluva detective with the oft needed help of Harmony and Gay Perry. He also becomes deadly with a gun, forming a sort of running cliche throughout the film (this was pulled off VERY well, by the way).

KISS KISS, BANG BANG is one of those films you have to watch to believe. So many stereotypes are ripped apart and so many cliches manhandled that it truly boggles the mind. Most — if not all — of this is done through dialogue, and it’s wonderfully ridiculous how well Kilmer and Downey Jr. play off each other (there’s even a kiss between them that makes for an interesting scene). Example: when Kilmer (who plays a tough homosexual) watches Downey pull a tiny gun out from his glovebox, Kilmer remarks, "That’s my faggot gun." We also get to see Kilmer use the "faggot gun" in a very trouser destroying manner.

The comedy in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is dark, similar in tone to THE MATADOR (another flick I absolutely loved). If you’re "in to" those kind of films, you should most definitely check out this one. I’ll be watching it again.

Click here to watch the Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang movie trailer!