With so many sequels and remakes being paraded onto the theater screens in 2016, Shane Black’s “Nice Guys” comes as welcome change. The highly original, and perfectly Shane Black movie is quick in its wits and fast with its fists and has two powerhouse actors giving A class performances.
It is reminiscent of buddy movies of yore but in today’s high definition. The script is spot on and the chemistry between the leading actors is endearing.
Shane Black, who directed Iron Man 3 and who is famous for writing the script of the trendsetting “Lethal Weapon” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight” and then for his directorial debut “Kiss Kiss Bang ”, delivers a movie which feels perfectly suited to his style and puts him back on home turf.
The movie produced by Joel Silverstein, which features the powerhouse Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”, “Les Miserable’s”) and the heart-throb Ryan Gosling (“The Notebook”), has a brilliant plot that seems like someone just grabbed it out the 1970s pile and quirky dialogue.
The screenplay was originally written in 2001 with Anthony Bagarozzi, which makes one wonder why we’re only seeing it on screen now.
The movie revolves around the suspicious death of an adult movie star and the whereabouts of another and the good cop, bad cop routine of Crowe and Gosling. The only character in the movie that seems to have any idea of what is going on is Holly March played by Angourie Rice, who is the daughter of Holland March, Ryan Gosling’s character. This gives Black an out if he ever encounters accusations of macho stereotyping. The chaotic chemistry between the make leads brings out the chalk and cheese in the movie and is probably the best part of it. The movie is a good mix of wits and fists, with the male leads being purposely mismatched, with one being rugged and thuggish while the other is doleful and a bit off kilter.
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling are as unalike as it comes with their previous roles as well as their image in the eyes of their fans, and yet the chemistry between them on screen in Nice Guys is undeniable.
Ryan Gosling’s Holland March is a private investigator whose clientele are old ladies worried about their husbands and Russell Crowe’s Jackson Healy is an enforcer who beats people up for a living. The unlike duo team up to solve a murder mystery that fits Black’s description of “horrible combination of smog and porn” perfectly.
From the comic violence to the outré laughs, Nice Guys is thoroughly entertaining. There were questions of how Ryan Gosling would fare in an action comedy, but he puts all those to rest by displaying his diverse acting abilities.
This movie packs punches that are aimed more at the belly than at the head and will have you laughing at the callousness of attitude and the bad haircuts. The movie is thoroughly entertaining and a must watch for all loves of action comedies or Ryan Gosling or Russell Crowe.
