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Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)

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From Time Out London

When Pauline Kael used the phrase ‘kiss kiss, bang bang’ to describe the visceral appeal of most movies, it was with a sense of despair – still, Shane Black (creator of the ‘Lethal Weapon’ franchise and writer of ‘Last Action Hero’ and ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’) has never been one to court critical kudos. But while his directorial debut has its share of sex and shoot-outs, it’s also an ultra-knowing exercise in genre deconstruction, and something of a charmer to boot.

Robert Downey Jr is deliciously rumpled as Harry, a two-bit thief and all-round schmo marooned in Los Angeles and mixed up in murder. Less clued-up gumshoe than ricocheting pinball, he’s assisted by his childhood crush, washed-up actress Harmony (Michelle Monaghan) and ‘Gay’ Perry (Val Kilmer), a local PI with a nice line in withering put-downs (yes, he really is gay). As narrator, Harry makes up in self-awareness what he lacks in reliability, offering a running critique of contemporary LA, the movie’s construction and even his own voice-over (‘fuck, this is bad narrating, like my dad telling a joke… Can I say “fuck”?’).

For a film so concerned with the subject of storytelling – pulp crime fiction plays a pivotal part – its narrative is inordinately convoluted, but the script short-circuits its own shortcomings with clever-clever captions and asides.

Visually it’s consistently engaging, from a Kodak-coloured childhood flashback to natty Saul Bass-style credits, and the casting is spot-on: Kilmer inflects Perry’s sarcasm with an undertow of pastoral care for Downey’s Harry, whose amiabe haplessness also meshes well with Harmony’s world-weariness. (Monaghan also impresses despite being a decade too young.) The film’s knowingness is natty window-dressing that lets a genre tale have its dry martini and drink it; it’s the assured characterisations that have you wishing it good health.

Author: BW

Time Out London Issue 1838: November 9-16 2005

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