Review of The Nice Guys (2016) by Lenny R — 09 Sep 2016

A hefty helping of the Black, full of action, adult comedy and buddy magic, wrapped around a thoroughly decent, actually-pretty-serious detective yarn. That storyline, along with the period setting and the fact March is nursing an injury for most of the runtime, kind of reminded me of Chinatown. I'm not saying it's necessarily the classic Polanski's movie is - but then again, maybe I am.

When held up to the holy pantheon of Shane Black buddy duos - Riggs & Murtaugh, Hallenbeck & Dix, Baltimore & Hennessy, Harry & Perry, Stark & Rhodes - Healy & March are on a par with any of them... except that they're not technically a duo, because they're joined much of the time by March's teenage daughter Holly, played by impressive young Aussie Angourie Rice, who very much holds her own alongside her heavyweight co-stars. Gosling, as March, is magnificent to behold in full-on 'klutzy buffoon' mode, displaying a previously untapped gift for physical comedy that equals his serious dramatic skills. His edgy delivery of the typically brilliant Black dialogue is also great. Rusty is somewhat less of a natural comedian, but makes a perfectly fine straight man among the slapstick lunacy, nailing the banter like the pro he is. The two guys are very much an odd couple in the best sense, and their chemistry is undeniable.

Basinger is great. Qualley is great. Bomer is awesome. Keith David is maybe slightly underused, but then, any Keith David beats no Keith David.

The '70s setting gives the movie a unique feel, and allows for lots of cool cars, music and clothes, and Black even adds a little bit of his signature Christmas stuff.

Overall, it's a fun, exciting, just all-round enjoyable movie, as good as anything else Black has ever created.