[Film Review] Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Film Review

"Anyway, by now you may wonder how I wound up here. Or, maybe not. Maybe you wonder how silly putty picks shit up from comic books. The point is, I don't see another goddamn narrator, so pipe down."

Director: Shane Black

Release Date: 21 October 2005
Running Time: 103 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
MPAA Rating: R

Narrated by the deadpan and lemony Harry Lockhart, the film opens as Harry flees a crime scene into a movie audition. Having just witnessed his buddy being shot and killed, Harry suffers an emotional breakdown in front of the producer, who mistakes him for a professional method actor and casts him in a Detective Drama.

Sent to Hollywood for a screen test, Harry is partnered with a sassy, gay Private Detective called Gay Perry to get a feel for his acting role. After stumbling upon childhood crush Harmony Lane, Harry heads on a routine stakeout with Perry; when the duo then inadvertently witnesses a body being dumped, they find themselves tangling with a surprisingly deep-rooted murder plot... just like the pulp novels Harmony used to read as a kid.

And here I am, back with some more cult classics.
I can't believe it took me so long to get to watching this movie in full. I've seen parts of it - significant chunks, even - but not the whole thing. And considering how the movie actually is, definitely not enough to know what the thing was actually about.

"And for all you good people in the Midwest, sorry we said 'fuck' so much."

Writing:
This film was inspired by once popular pulp fiction type stories (not the Tarentino film, mind you, I mean the cheap magazines filled with stories that were common in the early 20th century). Many make reference to the Brett Halliday story Bodies Are Where You Find Them - one of said pulp fiction stories, which is supposedly the original inspiration for this film. Don't read it thinking you'll be getting a similar experience however, because though Kiss Kiss Bang Bang may have used it and similar hardboiled detective works as a base, it takes a very different route.

"Listen to me. I grab your tit, it's a fucking biggie! - That came out wrong."

Pulp fiction magazines were once really common in the United States because it was a cheap form of entertainment. Regular magazines had nicer, slick paper - which of course was more expensive, and other types of entertainment were still fledgeling, what with everyone in the neighborhood using the same TV because only one family could afford it. Since the writers didn't think of their work in the same vein as a classy hardbound novel, there was a different style to them that influenced later works that I'm sure you're familiar with - spy novels like James Bond and superhero comics like Batman or Superman are two examples. On top of that the root work by Halliday is one of the hardboiled detective crime novels, the type of think you automatically associate with some of Hollywood's more classic works from the 30s and 40s - the film noir genre. Think Casablanca, Maltese Falcoln, anything with Humphrey Bogart. Y'know the look - black and white, dark shadows, gritty smoking detectives in trenchcoat and fedora, femme fatales, etc. (If that's so culturally outdated to you that you don't get what I'm talking about, then look at Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea).

"Yeah, it's a dumb movie thing, but what do you want me to do, lie about it?"

Shane Black takes this iconic, though somewhat dwindling, type of crime drama and turns it into a tongue-in-cheek parody. It takes the complicated intertwined narratives of these crime works to a whole new level - to the point where it doesn't make sense at all. The plot, starts off simple - a cheap crook escapes the police by running into a movie audition, and gets the role, is shipped off to Hollywood, and is supposed to learn some things from a detective. Then shit hits the fan and it gets complicated. Really complicated. To the point where it no longer makes any sense, which if you are familiar with some of these works it's basing itself off of, actually is pretty accurate. I've seen and read a few crime stories from back in the day that were overtly complex. It worked while going through the thing, but now that I see a parody like this and take a step back, I really realize how fucking ridiculous some of the plot twists used can be. This movie takes it to the next level, and then even subverts it and highlights how over the top it's getting. The plot is a mess, but it's a purposeful, self-aware mess, tied together in the end by the narration (which is a common staple of the Film Noir genre, though like everything else, this is played with).

"Fuck this. Corpses, guys in masks, people kissing - people. This is wrong!"

On top of all the convoluted things that are going on, the pace is fast and frantic. It works well in handling the entertaining clusterfuck of a plot, and Black uses this style effectively, especially when like the detective novel it's divided into chapters with first person narrations and crazy subplots unfolding all over the place. It disarms the audience for whatever comes next, and makes it easy to overturn assumptions.

This is all combined with a mix of things that really give it a memorable quality. Razor sharp wit is mixed with hilarious and quick dialogue, the vibe of those dime novels and film noir complete with their iconic and total cynicism, and the underlying cheesiness of it all. It takes every cheap cliche and outright uses it. And they know it's cheap, and it works. Deaths, sex, trashy nightlife, a pretty blonde, corpses, strange clues, plot twists, and a bad guy falling through a glass table (How overused is that?) Really tho, the dialogue of this film is perhaps the most memorable part. Robert Downey Jr. makes a very snarky, lemony (and somewhat pathetic) narrator, and the film is filled with hilarious quotes.

"You don't get it, do you? This isn't good cop/bad cop, this is fag and New Yorker.
You're in a lot of trouble."

Don't get me wrong though. The film is capable of much more serious moments, and has plenty in-between all the funny insanity. And when the metaphorical rollercoaster does go down into drama territory, it's pretty damn effective and cynical, especially with good actors to back it up. Actually, now that I think about, it parody might be too strong of a description, as the story does take itself seriously enough and keeps you in a good amount of suspense, despite all the banter. Perhaps a better term would be farce? Well, hopefully you get the point.

Characters:
It's hard to have a good film without well done characters, and this is no exception. Now as it does contain and often subvert (or blatantly defy) tropes and cliches, the characters are naturally a major vehicle to do so throughout the film. The cast may have been set up for certain roles, but don't fulfill the stereotypes, to hilarious results.

"Do not play detective. This is not a book. This is not a movie."

Harry as played by Robert Downy Jr. flavors the narration throughout the movie, subverting the serious tone that it could have had if it played the film noir narration trope straight. Harry's way of explaining the plot instantly sets a more dark-comedy tone, and it's really a good example of RDJ in his element. Probably one of my favorite roles of his thus far (I can see why so many people make parallels between this film and him in the Iron Man movies). The light-hearted narration also helps make the story more engaging, and throughout the entire movie brilliant lines are delivered not only well, but very quickly. He's the antihero, and a pretty hilariously idiotic one at that.

Val Kilmer is also at his funniest. Playing a gay detective the dry humor he offers lines up well with the butt monkey Harry winds up being. Gay Perry has some of the best jokes, and fortunately is not camp gay. The chemistry between Kilmer and RDJ really adds to the entertaining and witty banter that fills much of the film. The two really shine in this film.

And finishing off the trio is Michelle Monaghan as Harmony, who though at first implied to fit into film noir's femme fatale role - being attractive and sexually frustrating for the main character -but is actually just another well-meaning screw up like Harry that gets caught in what she believes to be a pulp fiction storyline. None of the actors have to force the humor or resort to anything like slapstick for cheap laughs. The performances are all well done and meld together nicely.

There's just one major problem - RDJ looks (because he is) significantly older than Monaghan.
Their characters are the same age.

"I was tired. I was pissed. I was wetter than Drew Barrymore at a grunge club."

Design:
As a neo-noir (despite the heaping dash of comedy), it does have some distinctive noir qualities that I love. The opening instantly harkens to it's source inspiration, reminiscent of older book cover designs from the 40s and 50s. In the actual film, there are many darker scenes taking place at night or in dark areas like clubs. This allows for distinctive lighting providing a high contrast with strong shadows, especially in an urban environment, all traits common in the neo-noir genre. The original was also desaturated, giving a much edgier feel which works well for the cynical (albeit snarky) tone of the work.

"Still gay?"
"Me? No. I'm knee-deep in pussy. I just like the name so much I can't get rid of it."

Just like with the visuals, the music also gives a good homage to the classic genre. By John Ottman, it has that sort of jazz taste people associate with detective style stories. It's a bit spooky and a bit irreverent, and works well with the film as a crime caper.

"And yeah, looking back, I maybe should've said something, told her I wasn't really a nipple - DETECTIVE.
Detective. Uhm, sorry..."

Final Thoughts:
One of my favorite films thus far, I can see why it's been placed on the cult classic shelf. It's witty, fast-paced, fun, but shown itself capable of more endearingly cheesy moments, it's quite a wild ride and even if it's not your cup of tea it's difficult to be completely bored with it. It's self-aware of every little cliche (actively pointing them out) and is a great "farce" of a classic style. Admittedly, it's easy to lose track of the plot if you're not paying attention, but really that's probably the point. It breaks down all the fun yet fake elements of detective stories that would never work in real life, but at the same time snappy banter and laughs remind you why fake stories are enjoyable to begin with.

Sailor's Rating: B+

"How about you, movie-goer? Have you figured out the case of the dead people in L.A. yet? Times Square audiences, don't shout at the screen. And stop picking at that. It'll just get worse."