Plot Summary: Set in 1970’so Los Angeles, two mismatched private investigators, Holland March and Jackson Healy, team up to investigate the death of a porn star and the missing daughter of a prominent political figure.
What I thought…
Nowadays it is rare and refreshing to come across such a well crafted film that combines two genres which so often are exploited as cash grabs, dishing out disposable entertainment.
The Nice Guys is a fusion of comedy and action with the ‘buddy cop’ theme going for it, yet carries not the clichéd elements of these types of films.
With witty & clever dialogue and a well thought out plot, accompanied by good character development, Shane Black has written in my opinion an Oscar worthy original screenplay, and he backs it up with spot on directing.
The Nice Guys is filled with great comedic timing, with jokes that never feel forced and the chemistry between Gosling and Crowe is comedy gold.
The 70’s look & feel in this film is authentic. It’s highly stylized, but lacks no substance.
On top of the screenplay, directing & tone of the film, young Angourie Rice delivers a stand out performance as Holly March. The only niggle I have with the film is Kim Basinger’s performance which felt stilted, but fortunately her role is small in the film.
The Nice Guys embodies both high entertainment value as well as high quality film making. In a time when Hollywood is rife with unnecessary sequels here is a film that actually deserves one.
Age: 16 V L
Genre: Comedy, Action, Crime, Mystery.
Starring: Ryan Gosling (Drive), Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Angourie Rice (These Final Hours), Kim Basinger (LA Confidential).
Director: Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang).
Rating: 9.7/10