The Nice Guys

The Nice Guys is the next film helmed by Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang). The film stars Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, and Angourie Rice. The story is about a PI Holland(Gosling) taking the case of a woman who thinks she has since her died niece. Holland ends up crossing paths with a guy who ,beats up people up for a living, Healy (Crowe) and together they get themselves mixed up with a murder mystery adventure that they need to solve.

Black is known for these types of films. He has been involved with three of these buddy cops mystery films before. Penning the original Lethal Weapon and writing and directing the hugely underrated Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. So this being his third attempt at this type of film he hopefully should have a good idea how to make one. Black nails the tone of this film and writes some amazing characters. I hope this film makes some money because I would enjoy seeing these guys on screen again. This film even has all the Black staples you have the voice over, the humor, and the Christmas season (well at least at the end of the film). All three of the actors are on point in this film. Gosling playing the goofy overtop character and Crowe playing the straight man was perfect casting. So many laughs come from the back and forth of those two alone. I also would like to mention Rice. I have never seen her in a film before this, but she steals the show as Gosling daughter. She feels like Penny from Inspector Gadget which just makes me laugh. In a good way.  Black easily sets this film in the late 70's with the soundtrack and the look of the film. It also makes sense that this film be placed in the 70's era because the mystery would not work in today's modern society.

Even thought Black had made very story or mystery heavy films before I think he has always had a problem with actually telling them. The story is good, but it is easily a weak point of the film.  It's nothing to write home about. The characters be them great, don't have much of an arc as well. There are what seems to be attempts to have arcs with them, but I think they fall flat in the film  Black does have a problem with moving the story along in the middle of the film. It stays in one area for far too long be it there is some great humor bits, but the story doesn't really move forward.

The Nice Guys is a great buddy cop film. Filled with great characters, pretty solid action, and an okay mystery. It could bring back a film genre that we really haven't seen for awhile. If this was the sleeper hit of the summer I wouldn't mind that at all because Black and company do a great job of recapturing the 70's. I hope we see another adventure from The Nice Guys.

RATING
3.25 out of 4 Ticket Stubs.