Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was pretty cool

[TVC15]

Thanks to everyone that recommended it. 

It felt like a fun Raymond Chandler-inspired buddy cop movie.  No surprise it was written by the Lethal Weapon dude.  That also made it feel more like the type of fun crime movie that you'd see in the 80s, too.  So it kind of feels like an 80s movie, yet it's inspired by old chandler stories, noirs, and pulp stories.  Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr are both awesome in the movie, there's nudity, and lots of generally funny bits.  The movie has a slightly dark sense of humor, which is always appreciated.

I mean, the movie isn't perfect; it's a bit to convenient in its plot developments, but that's not only a product of the old detective and noir influences, but also the neatness of buddy cop films.  I don't understand why this movie wasn't given a high profile release.  If it had been released 15 years ago, it would pretty much be a guaranteed huge hit.  Not that the movie is dated or anything--the formula is just reminiscent of the era when a fun movie didn't have to do anything other than have fun, with no regard or focus on special effects, huge stars, gimmickry, awards pandering, envelope pushing. . .maybe that's why it wasn't pushed by the studio, and buried with basically a non-release.  The movie is basically unambitious in every aspect aside from its cleverness, and the masses don't go to movies for good dialogue.

So, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.  It's good stuff.  I bet that just about everyone can find something to like about this movie.  Robert Downey?  He's got it going on here.  Val Kilmer?  Easily, easily the best thing he's done since the 90s.  Fun dialogue?  In spades.  As a matter of fact, the movie really has nothing to actively dislike, aside from the convenience.

[Gay Boy]

Very solid buddy cop movie. I quite liked it.

[TVC15]

Very solid buddy cop movie. I quite liked it.

Do you know what its story is about it not getting a wide release?  It was apparently a hit at Cannes, a hit with most critics, had name actors, Joel Silver producing. . .why was it not given a wide release?

[Gay Boy]

No clue. It's weird though. There is nothing that screams ARTSY about it to make it remain in limited release. I mean its by the guy who created Lethal Weapon which was a huge hit for WB, its all weird.

[TVC15]

It cost 15 million bucks, and it appears to have made its money back, but with a wider release, that would have made a bit of money, even if it wasn't a huge smash hit or anything.  I never even heard of the movie until it was on video.

[Mandark]

The movie is kind of frustrating for me, because it seems like they didn't have to try that hard.  After I watched it, I was left wondering how Hollywood manages not to put out a dozen films a year like that.

There was nothing about it that said "Only ***** could have pulled that off!" or "I can't believe they pulled it off!"  There are a ton of writers in Hollywood who could probably write something about as clever, and directors who could bring it to film.

It's like when people list all the things we could pay for if we ended the war in Iraq.  For the price of one Transformers, we could have six Kiss Kiss Bang Bangs and three About A Boys.  We need to address this as a society.

[TVC15]

I agree with you, Mandark.  I liked the movie quite a bit, but it was definitely lighter fare.  That said, why aren't there more movies that are this good?  It was a fun little movie.  I think I'm just growing to dislike the Bigger is Better Hollywood mindset.

[The Fake Shemp]

I really love this film, because it's one of the few films out there that feel like Los Angeles when the setting is Los Angeles.  Not only that, Val Kilmer turns in one of his most memorable performances ever.

[TVC15]

I really cannot fathom why this movie did not get a wide release.  Did Silver piss in someone's cocoa puffs?  This would have been guaranteed to pull in at least 3 times its budget if given a wide release.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, it's distribution handling was kind of a blunder.  It's a great little movie that has entertained anyone I've recommended it to.

[Solo]

Easily in my Top 3 for 2005. On any given day, I could rate it #1. Glad you liked it, Whitey. Its one of those movies that is infinitely rewatchable, and gets better each time.

I dunno why, as silly as they are, the two scenes that always get me cracking up are the corpse-peeing scene, and the "8?! Who taught you math!" scene.

Kilmer and especially Downey Jr are both on fire in this movie, and I really think Monahan did a great job stacking up against them.

[Gay Boy]

Kilmer and especially Downey Jr are both on fire in this movie, and I really think Monahan did a great job stacking up against them.

Yeah, I loved her in it. Too bad she was probably the most disappointing part of Gone Baby Gone, she was stale in that. Ed Harris and Affleck made up for that though.

As for Kilmer, he really gave his best performance in AGES. Too bad more people saw him in Alexander than in this. 

[The Fake Shemp]

Dude, nobody cares about Gone Baby Gone.  STFU.

[Mupepe]

Kilmer needs more Ghost and the Darkness

[balikeye]

I loved this movie, and I believe it was this movie that turned me onto what film noir was (I think someone said it was a modern day film noir and I had to look up what that meant...I've spent the past couple of years catching up!).

I'm not sure if this had anything to do with it or not, but I think Robert Downey Jr had a lot of his troubles in the late 90's into the early 00's. A quick IMDB look, and at least film wise he hadn't done anything of note after Alley McBeal. So maybe they thought that this movie was a big risk when releasing it. I dunno...just throwing that out there.

[Takuan]

Watched this for the first time a month or so ago. Good flick. MI3 girl has a great pair.

[Gay Boy]

Dude, nobody cares about Gone Baby Gone.  STFU.

Cajole agrees its MOTY!

[Solo]

Jesse James is MOTY, unless the Coens or PTA can steal that title.

[bud]

sunshine is my moty so far.

[Gay Boy]

sunshine is my moty so far.

Something is odd about sunshine. I mean it came out in the summer was forgotten like 2 days later like it never existed and it got good reviews too. Until your thread I havent heard the movie brought up since the weekend it came out. Really weird.