Shane Black probably isn't a name that most movie-goers know about. His most well-known script, Lethal Weapon, however, is a gemstone in any "macho guy"'s movie-watching. While Lethal Weapon brought a lot of attention to Black, along with his script for the cult classic Monster Squad, his later films would prove to be quite poor, both critically and financially. As Black slipped into obscurity, he continued to pour out various screenplays in hopes of achieving his previous success. After multiple turndowns, though, it looked like things wouldn't ever turn up for him. It was when Black was pitching for his latest script, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, that he was able to get the attention of producer Joel Silver. Ironically enough, Silver was the producer who gave the thumbs-up for Black's earlier success, Lethal Weapon. This time around, however, Black was allowed to direct his own screenplay. The result? A hilarious and fun film that balances both an interesting narrative and a clever satire of the noir genre.
The film follow a petty thief, Harry Lockhart, who's just escaped the scene of his latest robbery. On the run from the police, Harry ducks into a movie audition for a hardboiled crime film and, quite humorously, ends up impressing the film producers. The producers hire him as the lead and fly him to Hollywood to shadow Detective Perry van Shrike, a gay private investigator who's been enlisted to help Harry prepare for his role. Things get complicated, however, once Harry meets up with his highschool sweetheart, Harmony Lane, and accidentally becomes involved in a conspiracy of murder and kidnapping. As the events of the film twist and interweave, Harry, Perry, and Harmony team up to investigate the hidden conspiracy.
First off, the film definitely has a wicked sense of humor. The jokes are clever, the dialogue's very witty, and the film seems to be nothing but non-stop hilarity. The writing's top-notch and boosts the hilarious interactions between the main characters of the film, Harry and Perry. It's hard to really describe the humor behind the relationship, as most of it derives from situational comedy, but I can guarantee that it's a treat. It's so fast-paced and electric that, at points, it's difficult to fully appreciate how rich the humor is. Not only that, but the film perfectly balances an interesting narrative while subverting the cliches within its' narrative's genre. The film pokes fun at the 'typical mystery' story and isn't afraid to point out the sillier aspects of mystery stories. For instance, why would a lone henchman shove a gun at someone's back when that person, usually the protagonist, could turn around and whip away the gun? Or, why does a main character always seem to survive a shootout? The film doesn't mess around with any gags or cheap laughs - it's completely fresh and the characters are so well-written that it only enhances the humor.
Speaking of which, the characters are really well-rounded in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. They're interesting, likable, and we're given plenty of time to get to know their quirks, styles of humor, etc. While the film is concerned with story, its characters are the true focal point of the film. Harry, for instance, is the lovable (yet bumbling) rogue and constantly screws up Perry's investigation by trying to act like the 'cool guy'. Accidentally shooting people in the face, claiming to be a real-life detective, and urinating on corpses are all examples of Harry's hilarious actions. I could talk about the other characters, but the film exists for a reason. The point is, though, that the characters are the highlight of the film.
In terms of cinematography, the film looks really nice. The camerawork's aesthetically pleasing and definitely captures that noir/neo-noir feel that the film's going for. Not too much else to say about this aspect. It looks great and the use of lighting is particularly stylish - what more could you ask for?
If I had any problems with the film, though, they'd lie with the film's opening. It was a nice introduction, but it seemed to be a bit clumsy in its execution. Perhaps if the narration wasn't so heavy-handed then I might have liked the opening of the film a bit more.
Still, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a hilarious film. It's got great characters, a sharp sense of humor, and plenty of memorable moments. A very fun film for both noir-fans and people who just like entertainment.
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