“The Nice Guys” Review
(Left) Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling star in “The Nice Guys,” a buddy crime film set in 1977 Los Angeles.
I’m an absolute sucker for any film that resembles classic filmmaking of the 1960s and 1970s which is no surprise considering my favorite film last year was “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.” But before that masterpiece, there was another comedy film that mixed a nostalgic setting with clever humor and colorful characters. That film was 2016’s “The Nice Guys.”
Written and directed by Shane Black, writer of the first two “Lethal Weapon” films and director of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Iron Man 3,” the film follows private investigator Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and tough enforcer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) as they team up and search for a young girl named Amelia (Margret Qualley) in 1977 Los Angeles. As their search deepens, the pair discover that Amelia is part of a larger conspiracy involving Detroit Auto Manufacturing and pornography.
Ryan Gosling is one of my favorite actors working in Hollywood today and when I say that, people typically think I mean Ryan Gosling from “The Notebook” or “Crazy Stupid Love.” While I enjoy those films, within the last decade, I love Gosling’s work in “La La Land,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Big Short” and “Drive.” In this film, Gosling and Crowe deliver hilarious performances. Their chemistry is incredible and the pair constantly exchange hilarious banter with each other.
A lot of what makes this film work is Shane Black’s direction and screenplay, which he co-wrote. This is a man who has written “buddy films” before, “Lethal Weapon” being his most famous, and his expertise in the genre clearly shows. His characters are exceptionally well-written with punchy dialogue and profanity-laced insults constantly coming out of their mouths.
(Right) Holly March, played by Angourie Rice, sits next to her father in “The Nice Guys.”
Black also knows how to direct with one thing being the focus of his production: spectacle. This film embraces the posh, ridiculousness of 1977 with an unapologetic sense of glamour. This is best seen when March and Healy attend a party in hopes of meeting a person of interest. At this party are over-the-top costumes, mermaids, contortionists, disco bands and other strange sights.
The film doesn’t even feel like a 2016 film. It feels like it came out in 1977 which is a big compliment to “The Nice Guys.”
Another fun piece of the puzzle is March’s daughter Holly (Angourie Rice) a young child who accompanies her father and Healy as they investigate the case and, at times, seems better at being a detective than her father. She has to say quite a few adult things throughout the film and she perfectly sells it. She’s not some annoying child sidekick and, instead, actually contributes to the story.
If there is one thing to take away from “The Nice Guys,” it is the humor. This film has a knack for having the most insane setups. One of these involves March and Healy looking for Amelia at a demonstration in which dozens of protestors are playing dead due to the pollution of Los Angeles. When the pair ask questions, the protestors refuse to answer them because they are committed to playing dead. The film also has several running jokes that find the strangest way of coming back including birds, bees, Richard Nixon and Adolf Hitler.
The film also contains well shot, well choreographed action including shoot-outs, car chases and hand-to-hand combat. The gun fights, in particular, feel like they were influenced by 70s “blaxploitation” films like “Shaft” and “Super Fly.”
The film did okay at the box office, grossing $62 million on a budget of $50 million, but it’s unclear whether this film will get a sequel. If it does, I’ll be the first one in line. For those in the mood for great comedy, action and/or nostalgia, “The Nice Guys” is a fantastic film to watch.
