Fifteen years ago, Shane Black was Hollywood's golden boy screenwriter: he had just penned the first 'Lethal Weapon' and studios were prepared to pay him obscene amounts of money to do it again. But after 'The Last Boy Scout,' 'Last Action Hero,' and 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' failed to justify his outrageous price tag, Black sank into borderline obscurity and the general consensus was that he was a has-been hack.
That is, up until his recent directorial debut'??the frenetically enjoyable 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang''changed everything. Now, with a sliver of the budget of his previous films, Black has crafted a savvy meditation on film noir and the buddy thriller (a sub-genre he practically invented). He delivers a dark yet hilarious ode that will please both his fans and his hordes of naysayers.
'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang' stars Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, a wise-ass petty thief who gets himself into Hollywood through some typically outlandish circumstances.
Val Kilmer is 'Gay Perry,' the suave wise-ass detective who ostensibly gives Lockhart advice on his acting role as a cop. He may be the first gay bad-ass action hero ever to grace the silver screen. Michelle Monaghan plays an aspiring actress/waitress who also happens to be Lockhart's childhood friend and lifelong crush.
Those are the only details of the convoluted plot that need description. 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang' is an aggressive meta-mystery/thriller, which indulges Black's breezy excursions into the macabre but also comments on them. This is one of the most self-conscious movies since 'Scream,' and though it sometimes overdoes it, is certainly one of the more distinctive genre mixers to come out in a while.
Downey's voiceover is self-deprecating, playful and profane, much like his masterful performance. Kilmer is manic and brilliant as Gay Perry, spouting one-liners with the best of them; his verbal sparring matches with Downey are the high point of the film.
The unbelievably sexy Monaghan is a great find'she creates an atypical, luscious femme fatale who also happens to be down-to-earth and, of course, a wise-ass.
The film's title comes from revered film critic Pauline Kael's assertion that movies are simply vehicles for entertainment'??a little kiss, kiss, a little bang, bang, and we all leave the theater satisfied. Black's film does not struggle for greatness; it is content to be an exuberant exercise, little more than a big joke.
But what a rapid-fire, exhilarating joke it is.
