KISS KISS BANG BANG
dir: Shane Black
"Yeah, boo, hiss, I know. Look, I hate it too. In movies where the studio gets all paranoid about a downer ending so the guy shows up, he's magically alive on crutches, I hate that. I mean shit, why not bring them all back. But the point is in this case, this time, it really happened. Perry, like, lived. Yeah, it's a dumb movie thing, but what do you want me to do, lie about it? " - Harry (narrating)
Brief Synopsis
A thief posing as an actor gets caught in the middle of a homicide case with a real detective and his high school dream girl.
Why It's Here
Kiss kiss, bang bang. It couldn't be more simple than that. Shane Black lets his viewers know right from the beginning that his movie delivers the goods. The two things that audiences want, kiss kiss and bang bang. The title is both expressing the most primal attraction to movies and a slang expression in Asia for spy films, usually James Bond. Clever.
Just as simple as it's title, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is about an unlikely story that is implausible, but likable. Downey Jr. makes his return from his drug days as a thief who stumbles upon a movie audition where he accidentally gets the role, sending him to the hands of Gay Perry, a gay cop who must teach him for his role. While the story is unlikely, that is not Black's goal, to make something believable just for the sake of it. Hell, Black goes out of his way to make Downey break the fourth wall and address the audience. While instances like this are often bittersweet by pulling the audience out of the film, but also offering up some laughs, both Black and Downey could care less. Black's confidence in his writing and directing allow Downey to fly through witty lines, giving the audience little time to sit back and laugh about it, because if they do they're going to miss the next one. This is why Downey turns to the camera in his narration, he quickly reminds the audience that they can shut the fuck up because he's telling a story here and isn't about to wait around for the studio audience.
As unapologetic as Black's script is, it goes further with it's comfortable take on homosexuality that American's squirm at the sight of. Kilmer's tough exterior is broken down when he first opens his mouth revealing the flamboyant (but not overdone) nature of his gay character. And when caught in a suspicious situation, what better cover from the cops than two men making out with each other? The two leads both are among the most talented actors of this generation, both of whom are bizarre in their roles and in their personalities. Here they are able to let loose in over-expressive humour and have the freedom the shoot down the genre stereotypes that the film knowingly uses to advance it's plot. It's self-awareness and critique is the type of witty and utterly rewatchable entertainment that has been few and far between in Hollywood in the decade since Shane Black disappeared from the mainstream. Now that he has returned, his signature wit has thankfully come back with him.
Just as simple as it's title, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is about an unlikely story that is implausible, but likable. Downey Jr. makes his return from his drug days as a thief who stumbles upon a movie audition where he accidentally gets the role, sending him to the hands of Gay Perry, a gay cop who must teach him for his role. While the story is unlikely, that is not Black's goal, to make something believable just for the sake of it. Hell, Black goes out of his way to make Downey break the fourth wall and address the audience. While instances like this are often bittersweet by pulling the audience out of the film, but also offering up some laughs, both Black and Downey could care less. Black's confidence in his writing and directing allow Downey to fly through witty lines, giving the audience little time to sit back and laugh about it, because if they do they're going to miss the next one. This is why Downey turns to the camera in his narration, he quickly reminds the audience that they can shut the fuck up because he's telling a story here and isn't about to wait around for the studio audience.
As unapologetic as Black's script is, it goes further with it's comfortable take on homosexuality that American's squirm at the sight of. Kilmer's tough exterior is broken down when he first opens his mouth revealing the flamboyant (but not overdone) nature of his gay character. And when caught in a suspicious situation, what better cover from the cops than two men making out with each other? The two leads both are among the most talented actors of this generation, both of whom are bizarre in their roles and in their personalities. Here they are able to let loose in over-expressive humour and have the freedom the shoot down the genre stereotypes that the film knowingly uses to advance it's plot. It's self-awareness and critique is the type of witty and utterly rewatchable entertainment that has been few and far between in Hollywood in the decade since Shane Black disappeared from the mainstream. Now that he has returned, his signature wit has thankfully come back with him.