First of all I am not reviewing two films here. If title is a little misleading then I am sorry about that. I accidentally discovered this film in my Blu-ray library lying there for years so I thought blast from the last may be a little fitting introduction. Oh, by the way Alicia Silverstone did look hot in blast from the past.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has nothing to do with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang if you are thinking in that direction unless off course in some odd universe flying car becomes a flying b**g then you can attempt some similarities.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a directorial debut of Shane Black released in 2005, starring Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. It's an oddball movie and incidentally did poor at box office but later on became a cult phenomenon on home video. I am sure people will have polarized opinion about this film. It's kind of comedy with a touch of film noir which is odd because film noir is essentially noire. It has most if not all the elements of noir - femme fatale (usually blondes), murder, corruption, twisted plot. References to Raymond Chandler was all over the film - Goodbye my lovely, Lady in the Lake. Being a big fan of film noir and hard-boiled fiction I really liked the film.
The plot is fairly simple with Robert Downey a thief who gets intertwined in Hollywood, asked to learn to be a detective for a film only to start solving the case of a missing girl who happens to be the sister of a highschool sweetheart. Did I say it was a simple plot? Film Noir and Los Angeles has a long history - years before L.A. Confidential or even Chinatown. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is by no means in the same league but it is no slouch either. Robert Downey Jr is an amazing actor even before he was Iron Man. It's really a pleasure seeing him performing. His rapid-fire repartee is faintly visible in this film which was heavily utilized in both Iron Man films. Val Kilmer did good justice to his role as a PI as well as providing a much needed mentor archetype to the film. One complain I have is that the bad guys were not very well fleshed out which typically isn't the case with film noir.
Shane Black really is a good writer and director and knows how to borrow the correct elements. [It's paying him off anyway as he is in the running for directing Iron Man 3]. He created an effective Chandleresque universe with a flawed Philip Marlowe (Downey) and a femme fatale (Monaghan).
Overall I'd say the film is a good watch for a lazy sunday afternoon.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has nothing to do with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang if you are thinking in that direction unless off course in some odd universe flying car becomes a flying b**g then you can attempt some similarities.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a directorial debut of Shane Black released in 2005, starring Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. It's an oddball movie and incidentally did poor at box office but later on became a cult phenomenon on home video. I am sure people will have polarized opinion about this film. It's kind of comedy with a touch of film noir which is odd because film noir is essentially noire. It has most if not all the elements of noir - femme fatale (usually blondes), murder, corruption, twisted plot. References to Raymond Chandler was all over the film - Goodbye my lovely, Lady in the Lake. Being a big fan of film noir and hard-boiled fiction I really liked the film.
The plot is fairly simple with Robert Downey a thief who gets intertwined in Hollywood, asked to learn to be a detective for a film only to start solving the case of a missing girl who happens to be the sister of a highschool sweetheart. Did I say it was a simple plot? Film Noir and Los Angeles has a long history - years before L.A. Confidential or even Chinatown. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is by no means in the same league but it is no slouch either. Robert Downey Jr is an amazing actor even before he was Iron Man. It's really a pleasure seeing him performing. His rapid-fire repartee is faintly visible in this film which was heavily utilized in both Iron Man films. Val Kilmer did good justice to his role as a PI as well as providing a much needed mentor archetype to the film. One complain I have is that the bad guys were not very well fleshed out which typically isn't the case with film noir.
Shane Black really is a good writer and director and knows how to borrow the correct elements. [It's paying him off anyway as he is in the running for directing Iron Man 3]. He created an effective Chandleresque universe with a flawed Philip Marlowe (Downey) and a femme fatale (Monaghan).
Overall I'd say the film is a good watch for a lazy sunday afternoon.
