OUR RATING
5/5 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
In this mix of a buddy comedy, an action film and a murder mystery Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe star as Holland March and Jackson Healy, respectively. The two stars don’t start off as partners or even friends but end up having to work a case together, one for money and one for his own wellbeing. The case that they are working on together is centered on the death of porn actress Misty Mountains who dies after crashing through a family home in her car.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
This film was so good that I willing watched it twice on the big screen.It has smart laughs and slapstick comedy intermingled with plot twists and depth.
I know what you’re thinking; it’s a guy’s film, in the most classic sense. With big explosions and naked girls and cheap laughs; listen, you’re not wrong, but what sets this film apart from the crowd of other films doing that is that it is done so well.
A big reason why I think that it was done so well is because it was directed by the mega talented Shane Black. He has made some of the best action films of the modern era like the Lethal Weapon franchise, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
This disco-era period piece ranks among those great film masterpieces. Black penned the screenplays for those movies, as was the case with The Nice Guys which he co-wrote with Anthony Bagarozzi.
The characters, that the pair have written, are well formed and have back stories that I hope I get to see more of in future films.
Another great aspect of the film was Angourie Rice’s performance as Holly March, who is Holland March’s daughter. The young star delivers her lines in a scene stealing manner that made me smile at some parts and sad in others. There was real light and shade there.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: