MOVIE REVIEW: THE NICE GUYS (R)
Smog, porn, epic late-night parties … ’70s Hollywood had it all. Come to think of it, it wasn’t all that different from Hollywood today. In Shane Black’s unapologetic, uncompromising, noir-laced buddy action comedy “The Nice Guys,” stars Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe prove that star chemistry can trump a convoluted plot. Of course, Black’s witty wordplay doesn’t hurt.
In “The Nice Guys,” mismatched private eyes Holland March (Gosling) and Jackson Healy (Crowe) join forces in a valiant effort to solve a mystery involving a murdered porn star, a political activist on the run, and crazy killer for hire. The job isn’t easy, however, as single father March has a drinking problem and a comical aversion to blood while rough-around-the-edges Healy has virtually no concept of the term “hands off.”
“The Nice Guys” is off-the-wall bonkers in terms of its “comedy of errors” approach, and for all its ’70s Hollywood antics, there’s never a moment when it doesn’t feel like a movie made by the same man behind the screenplays for “Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Boy Scout,” and “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.” If only “The Nice Guys” had the cohesive structure of Black’s past work.
There’s a propulsive energy at the heart of “The Nice Guys,” there’s no doubt about that. Furthermore, Black (who also hit box-office gold with the polarizing “Iron Man 3”) provides plenty of banter for his leads; and to Gosling and Crowe’s great credit, they have spot-on chemistry and deliver Black’s colorful dialogue with aplomb. Sadly though, there’s a little too much going on in “The Nice Guys,” and there are certain stretches in the picture — including a sequence in which baddie John Boy (Matt Bomer) has an encounter with March’s daughter (Angourie Rice) — that are surprisingly clunky in execution.
That being said, there are plenty of moments in “The Nice Guys” that work (many of those moments are spoiled in the trailer), and in a way, I have to admire Black for throwing caution to the wind and daring to make a movie this cynical and this blatantly non-PC. Of course, these are both traits that might keep the very adult-oriented “The Nice Guys” from appealing to the masses. Not this Shane Black fan, however. I really didn’t have a problem with that stuff. I just didn’t think the film offered up enough consistency and heart, and it never quite maintained that sweet spot for me.
Thankfully, the gags that do hit hit big. The opener, in which a young boy sneaking a peek at a nudie magazine gets the surprise of his life, is shocking and oddly hilarious while the big finale is a ton of outrageous fun despite one too many goofy pratfalls. And the fashion in which Black uses film itself as a MacGuffin of sorts is pretty creative, too. Add to this Hitler jokes, “Waltons” references, “Three Stooges” inspired slapstick, and unexpected bursts of random violence, and you have a movie that’s as eccentric as it is audacious. It should also be noted that at the very least “The Nice Guys” is an original in what looks to be another summer full of sequels, reboots, and comic book adaptations, so that should account for something, too.
I had extremely high expectations for “The Nice Guys.” Probably too high. Those expectations come from my pure, unadulterated love and admiration for Shane Black. I’ve been a fan for years. As for his latest, this is a movie in which the parts are stronger than the whole. Having said that, if you like Shane Black and want to bear witness to the personification of picture-perfect rapport in the form of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, it’s worth a look. Just keep your expectations in check and be warned: “The Nice Guys” is rated “R” for a reason.
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