"The Nice Guys" Review

Title: The Nice Guys

Directed by: Shane Black

Screenplay by: Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi

Year: 2016

The trailers for The Nice Guys do a great job at making this film stand out amongst all the sequels, prequels, reboots, remakes, and "based-on" films. The originality and 1970s setting come across well from the marketing and certainly had my curiosity from the very first trailer. But does this film deliver on the promise of its exceptional promotional material?

In 1970s Los Angeles, a private detective and a freelance enforcer must team up to investigate the death of a porn star. Their main lead is a woman who has mysteriously vanished, and they must find her before she is captured by the wrong party.

During a time when the film industry is filled with endless comic book adaptations, biopics, sequels, and the like, it is quite refreshing to get films like Hail, Caesar!, Keanu, and now The Nice Guys. This is a wholly original story and it feels great to say that. The time period also helps to distinguish this picture from the numerous other releases of the year.

The team-up between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe is the main drawing point of The Nice Guys, and the chemistry the two have together is criminally good. Gosling is playing a very different role from his repertoire. Instead of a suave charmer, we have a bumbling yet capable detective. Gosling is gripping as the character, executing the humor and cockiness with perfection. Crowe is equally good in a more nuanced and quieter role, which is ironic since he is character is much more physical. Crowe is captivating as a potentially violent but strongly reserved detective, and his calm demeanor enhances the effect of his comedic lines. The way Gosling and Crowe go back and forth with one another is absolutely hypnotic. I could watch a feature length film of these two having a heated conversation.

Gosling's character has a daughter, played by Angourie Rice. She gives an endearing performance and handles the mature content and material surprisingly well. Her character occasionally helps the two detectives and she is a joy to watch. Also in the film is Matt Bomer, and I am glad he is making his way into more films. He was excellent in the television series White Collar and he is very good here as well. Bomer is creepily menacing and he seems to be having plenty of fun with his role. The rest of the cast is great for the little screen time each member has.

The Nice Guys is a nice blend of a buddy-cop comedy and a neo noir thriller, striking a remarkable balance between the two. The chemistry between the two leads and the humor contained within the film deliver the former, and the direction and script deliver on the latter. This really is a good old fashioned mystery, albeit with plenty of explicit adult content. You have murder, missing people, shady locations, shadier characters, it is all here on tremendous display.

The script by Black and Bagarozzi is incredible. The writing is slick and cunning, feeling unique but not fake. I honestly believe that this script could not have been improved. The writing has been revised to perfection, without a line out of place. Powerful and witty dialogue backed by great performances propel the plot. This is quite a quotable film, with Gosling's character spewing out some truly phenomenal phrases.

This picture has a very engaging story filled with plot twists and interesting mysteries. One thing leads to another in clever and sensical ways and the mystery is spread out very well throughout the film's runtime. Why was this porn star murdered? Who is Amelia? Why was this burned? These are all questions that keep the audience invested in the story. The film provides consistent thrills and laughs that mix together nicely. There are also many instances of misdirection that keep the audience on their toes. The Nice Guys does a good job at playing with viewers' expectations and throwing plenty of curve balls. This is the type of film that directs the audience's focus.

Speaking of direction, Shane Black is firing on all cylinders from the director's chair. Despite this film not taking place during Christmas, Black's fingerprints are all over this project. His style of writing and creative camera movements are prominent throughout this movie. The Nice Guys demonstrates the witty humor that Black has become known for and it is one of the brightest spots of this film. The Nice Guys is a hilarious motion picture that bounces between raunchy jokes, grotesque humor, and rapid-fire one-liners with ease. This film will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

The way the 1970s is captured in this picture is outstanding. The setting itself feels like its own character. The colors are very vibrant, especially during the night scenes. It feels as if this is a movie that was released in the '70s. This is simultaneously a dated film and a fresh new movie.

There is also a surprising amount of action, mostly in the form of shootouts. The action and chases are all helmed very well. The filming of the action sequences is terrifically done and they are edited very well, never leaving the audience behind. These scenes are stacked with tension as well as humor. The plot MacGuffin that is being chased during the final act is utterly hilarious and ridiculous, but it works with the tone that the film has established.

The Nice Guys is a film that deserves to be seen. This is a quality picture with two extraordinary leads, a solid cast all around, wonderful aesthetics, an engaging story, and gut-busting humor. Gosling and Crowe are an unlikely pair but they work off of each other as if they have been working together for years. The two detectives also receive plenty of development, and even the daughter has an emotional plot thread all to herself. The mystery is both ridiculous and thrilling, all starting with the death of a porn star. Shane Black's stamp is clearly on this film and it is all the better for it. The Nice Guys is an odd summer film, in that it is not a big action blockbuster. But that helps it stand out even more. This is a magnificent film, so do not allow it to slip under your radar.

Grade: A+