Saturday Movies: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Maybe you saw Shane Black's recent blockbuster hit with Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man 3? It turns out it isn't the first time the pair has made a good movie together. In 2005 they teamed up with Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Surprisingly it is one of the better action comedy movies I've seen in recent years, and could equally appeal to male or females, so it makes a great date movie. It was also made along the time that Downey was reviving his career a couple of years before the Iron Man movies would hit.

Summary: When a murder occurs it brings together an unlikely trio to solve it. Harry is a petty thief now posing as an actor to escape a crime he was running from. He is threw into the Hollywood scene where he is reunited with his high school crush, Harmony. While there though Harry must hang out with a real detective, Gay, who is to show him the ropes of being a detective so he understands it for the movie he got cast in. One murder ties them all together though, and sends them chasing and running to solve it before they are gotten first.



Acting: This is a very well cast and well acted movie. If the casting had been off at all then the chemistry just wouldn't have worked between the characters. Robert Downey Jr. plays the very likable, Harry. He is a criminal, but oddly he tries to be a respectable guy. One of my favorite parts of the movie was how much he respected Harmony despite her openness to be scantily clad around him much of the time. It depicts the interaction between males and females very well. Val Kilmer is Gay, who is really gay in the movie. He has one of the quirkiest attitudes in the movies that is so harsh, but you know the character is really an emotional guy deep down.

Filming: The movie has one of the most memorable narratives there is. The story begins with Harry telling it so you're caught up on some of the background of the characters. It instantly gets you attached to them, and how the director switches from the past to present is just very unique and goes with the Hollywood theme of the movie. You also have very warm and vibrant colors used throughout the movie that give it a lot of life. You'll see the narrative story telling style used in Iron Man 3 as well.

Plot: The plot does a lot more than just give you action and comedy, but it also brings the characters to life as real people despite their bizarre setting. I think it is romantic enough in a way to appeal to both guys and women too, which was a huge surprise. The interaction they put in the movie as Harry tries to avoid looking at or down Harmony's cleavage though it's present for everyone is display is just really sweet, and it's usually very difficult to make something like that at all a cute interaction without being creepy. You also have a lot of good woven in action that always keeps you on edge as to what will happen with the characters.

Overall, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is probably one of the highlights of all three of these actors careers. It's a well developed and paced story that gets you involved and makes you laugh quite a bit as well. You also have a great and unique way of conveying the story from the director that brings it to life even more. On top of that you have a very vividly, lively, movie that pops with color.

Rating 9 of 10.