Review: THE NICE GUYS

Can we just stop for a moment and thank the all-that-is-cool demigod Shane Black? Seriously, he wrote the scripts of some of the classic action movies like Last Action Hero, The Last Boy Scout, and the iconic Lethal Weapon trilogy, which encapsulates a whole generation of masculine action movies. Utilizing this experience he built throughout those movies, he went to direct his action parody debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a film claimed by many to be his masterpiece. Though many might be write him off as yet another cynical action director based around scummy a-holes doing scummy a-hole stuff, I believe that these films hold some deeper context; outside of delivering action comedy chops, what really makes Black stand out is the way he observes and deconstructs his main leads and the environment around him. The way Tony Stark deals with his insignificance and anxiety in the Avengers universe in Iron Man 3, Lockhart and his position as a thief in KKBB, the whole works.

His endeavor this time, in his latest The Nice Guys, he examines two passé, hot-tempered detectives unable to cope with the new generation, all while delivering the most brutally hilarious and endearing buddy cop movie any buddy cop movie can ever transcend to.

To what amounts to a mixture of Lethal Weapon and Inherent Vice, it centers around a single father and licensed PI Holland March (Ryan Gosling), who is hired to investigate the apparent suicide of famous porn star Misty Mountains. Among this search, he comes to terms with an unlicensed and unmerciful detective Jackson Healey (Russell Crowe) and his brass knuckles, both hired by the young hippie. However, it all gets worse when Misty, who reveals to be an anti-pollution activist named Amelia, vanishes and it becomes apparent that March wasn't the only party interested. As both men are forced to team up, they'll have to take on a world filled with eccentric mobsters, exotic 70s-style strippers, and a possible government conspiracy.

One of the things that fascinates me about this move is that amidst all the shootings and trashy humor, there is quite a fascinating subtext about a new coming generation overlying the old. These two cops, along with most of the other characters, represents the retrograde, no-nonsense police enforcers now out of their depth with the new generation. At the heart of this subtext and what ultimately brings some unexpected heart to the film is Angourie Rice as the young daughter of March Holly. Having to deal with the hardships and goon mix-ups the same level as her father, she still endures to be tough and capable in her own right and restrain herself and others from going over their limits. Of all the themes I came to expect from this movie, the implication of a younger generation could stand more superior to the wide array of brutes, dirty strippers, trigger-happy criminals, or even police officials honestly passed my radar.

            But enough of that pretentious baloney! What you’ll likely get from this movie is a shit ton of slapstick humor, gun-toting action, and hilarious banter from the two main leads who might as well be called Abbot and Costello with a lot more balls! Crowe, as expected, is a blast to watch, portraying a husky, no-BS private eye who kicks all sorts of ass but also manages to bring some humanity near the end. But the big surprise is Ryan Gosling, bringing an unexpected Buster Keaton-type humor character. Of all of what I usually expect from a Ryan Gosling role (from romantic main lead to snarky badass) his turn as sort of a fun and ironic role is instantly his most memorable.

            However, for all that goodwill, I still struggle to call this film on par with KKBB. The reason lies strictly in design; KKBB is essentially a parody of these types of buddy cop movies that constantly breaks the fourth wall and pulls the rug from your feet with every twist out of the conventional story beats. This movie, though, sticks to be fairly predictable. It still works as is, and thankfully the movie stays far away from several clichés, but for the most part, anyone paying attention might catch up with about 40 minutes ahead at most. It is definitely not a deal breaker, but a compromise definitely from true greatness.

            Minor issues aside, it’s pretty awesome! The jokes are funny, the dirty stuff are really dirty, the character moments are engaging, the old-fashioned and exotic 70s setting feels lived in and compelling, and Shane Black remains the best at directing intense action. Definitely a would-be classic!

Rating: 8/10