Review of The Nice Guys (2016) by Andrewburge — 21 Sep 2018

'The Nice Guys' is a pretty cool film. But then again, when the director's name is Shane Black is hard for it not to be. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling are a match made in heaven as the two unorthodox detectives Jackson Healy and Holland March as they investigate the disappearance of a young girl and the death of a pornstar.

This film's neo-noire concepts are stylish and funny. The 70's vibe is captured beautifully as the plot twists and turns multiple times. What starts with a break-in by window-smashing ends with a religious call in about 30 seconds. If you don't know what I'm on about you are missing out one of the funniest and self-deprecating scenes in recent years. Speaking of funny, Ryan Gosling's Holland March is one of the funniest film characters I've ever seen. His embarrassing failures often get him into trouble or sometimes they just ridicule him. But leave it to Gosling to take all this in style.

So, 'The Nice Guys' is definitely funny. Yet it has moments of unnecessary moral crisis and pretentious ambition. Holly March (Angourie Rice), Holland's underage daughter is viewed as an intellectually gifted soon-to-be detective and is put in awkward situations even watching an adult film in a scene. This would not be such a problem, but it feels like even the film pushes her development away so, why even bother? You know her character starts to ruin the pace and likability when you feel relieved the plot is moving away from her.

In the end, 'The Nice Guys' brings a funny and slick retro twist on the seriousness and mystery of the noire genre. Gosling and Crowe's chemistry feels almost like a serious dad rolling his eyes at his son's shenanigans, their interactions even with other characters giving a 'Big Lebowski' trope. Now only if the film wouldn't break these moments with its out-of-place moral machinations.