Review of Kiss Kiss... Bang Bang (1966) by Tomas T — 22 Sep 2012

Fast paced action comedy with hefty amount of black humor, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is an overlooked mystery noir which contains some of all time best performances from actors Val Kilmer and Rober Downey Jr.

The story of a private eye Gay Perry (Val Kilmer), a struggling actress Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan) and a petty thief/loser Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) who get mixed up with a murder mystery, does not initially strike as too exciting. Yet the film is quick to grab the viewer's attention as the pace of the film is nothing short of breath taking. The pace in itself can be considered positive and negative thing as it ensures constant and fast progression of the story. On the flip side of the count the pace makes the film demanding, and should the viewer lose focus for even a minute or two, be prepared spend the rest of the film in confused state.

In addition to the fast pace, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang sets itself a part with dark humor and smart dialect. The film is filled with corny scenes with borderline black humor which might not be for everyone's taste, but I found myself entertained through the film. Which brings us to the next topic, the characters and actors. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang contains some noteworthy and memorable performances from Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. I never considered Val Kilmer to be a comedy actor, yet in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang his sleek facial silhouette and restrained personality mixes up with "Gay" Perry character in downright hilarious manner. Val Kilmer is joined by Rober Downey Jr. whose cool take on his loser character almost equals in comedy that of Kilmer's "Gay" Perry making them an unexpectedly funny team.

So why the seemingly low score? I found myself multiple times struggling with the pace of the film and the disorderly script did little to amend the situation. I fully realize that these things were there to keep up the mystery shroud around the film, but I found the film overly demanding at times. Even so the film was well worth watching, if for nothing else, for Val Kilmer's hilarious "Gay" Perry character.