Film Review: KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005)

Director: Shane Black
Writers: Brett Halliday (novel “Bodies Are Where You Find Them”) (in part), Shane Black (Screenplay/Screen Story)
Running time: 103 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime/Mystery
UK Release date: 11^th November 2005

Watched on Terrestrial PVR Friday 26^th July 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is one of those films that somehow slipped through the net; I have been meaning to see it for years, but it kept falling by the wayside. Fortunately one of the TV channels over here finally aired it and I was able to finally see it. I have to admit it wasn’t quite what I was expecting but it was still a good watch. Here’s a very brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Small-time thief Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition in New York whilst evading the cops. The next thing he knows, he’s at a party in LA mixing with the great and the good. Here he sees a girl he somehow recognises, Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan), who turns out to be from his home town and a girl he was sweet on in school. He is to play a detective and so has to go training with a real Private Detective, Gay Perry (Val Kilmer). Whilst out on their first night they witness a murder that will take them on a wild ride. A case that involves Harmony, her sister and even the host of the party at the beginning, Harlan Dexter (Corbin Bernsen)!

Lots of profanity, lots of deaths and some great comic one-liners; I have to admit I liked this one to a large extent. It’s well shot and very slick, keeping a decent pace although it does drop here and there. All the performances were very good; Downey Jr, Kilmer and Monaghan all did a great job. I did find, however, that Downey Jr’s character, Lockhart, did begin to get a tad annoying towards the end. Over all though a pretty enjoyable watch; quite original in its makeup and well worth a look.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED

My score: 7.2/10.

IMDb Score: 7.7/10 (based on 126,456 votes when this review was written).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/

MetaScore: 72/100: (Based on 37 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 83/100 (based on 151 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 83/100 (based on 198,978 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kiss_kiss_bang_bang/

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LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site (UK): http://wwws.warnerbros.co.uk/kisskissbangbang/?frompromo=movies_maintouts_kisskiss_bangbang
Trailer: