X
- 2005
- R
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- 1 h 43 m
- 2005
- R
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- 1 h 43 m
Summary A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who's been training him for his upcoming role.
Directed By: Shane Black
Written By: Brett Halliday, Shane Black
- 2005
- R
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- 1 h 43 m
- 2005
- R
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- 1 h 43 m
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
73
7.5
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Summary A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who's been training him for his upcoming role.
Directed By: Shane Black
Written By: Brett Halliday, Shane Black
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 37 Critic Reviews
73
89% Positive
33 Reviews
33 Reviews
11% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 37 Critic Reviews
73
89% Positive
33 Reviews
33 Reviews
11% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
This is one of Downey's most enjoyable performances, and one of Kilmer's funniest. It's a relationship comedy wrapped in sharp talk and gunplay, a triumphant comeback for Black, and one of the year's best movies.
This tribute to old-fashioned hard-boiled detective fiction is laced with Hollywood satire and snappy, lightning-fast dialogue.
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 204 User Ratings
7.5
80% Positive
163 Ratings
163 Ratings
14% Mixed
29 Ratings
29 Ratings
6% Negative
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 204 User Ratings
7.5
80% Positive
163 Ratings
163 Ratings
14% Mixed
29 Ratings
29 Ratings
6% Negative
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
Mar 15, 2013
Shane Black's writers block was perhaps the best thing that ever happened to him, because if all that built up creativity led to this sort of film more often, then we all need a case of these mental blockages, as this film, written and directed himself, is possibly the best work of his career. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is told as a mash up of different film genres, noir, comedy and all around criminal behaviour, and Robert Downey Jr makes one of the best returns to form as small time thief Harry Lockhart, who stumbles accidentally into an audition, which he is praised for after the events which had just occurred. He is introduced to Perry "Gay Perry" van Shrike, who is played convincingly and humorously by Val Kilmer, and Perry and Harry soon set off on massive adventure of murder and mystery, all with the beautiful wit of the well written script in toe. Downey Jr narrates an outsider point of view of the film, explaining to audiences about certain aspects of the film, even rewinding at parts he thinks he has left out, all circling towards a very unique and stylised form of story-telling. The humour is sharp-tongued and often crude, and it is clear form the beginning that Shane Black has a particular audience in mind, not necessarily those of the crime capers, but those who are accustomed to an unorthodox style of cinema, and those who are willing to keep up with the ever expanding story. Robert Downey Jr is excellent as Harry Lockhart, simply pacing through the movie as a good but bad guy having a bad day, while Val Kilmer is the opposite, a real life PI who is asked to help Lockhart prepare for his film role when things start to become too realistic, his acting capabilities are soon showing as his character becomes less and less cool. Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernsen and Rockmund Dunbar also make up a very expansive and interesting cast, all of whom play a pivotal part in the telling of the story and are beneficial as to how all the stories become intertwined. The film is full of dark humour and witty gags from start to finish, but with the acting of Downey Jr and Kilmer at the helm, the film is grounded to create an enjoyable and excellent piece of filmmaking that leave you laughing and shocked for a considerable amount of time.
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By Clint Morris FULL REVIEW
The picture’s great, fast-moving fun for the most part, and Kilmer gives his most appealing, relaxed, and amusing performance since "Real Genius."
I wouldn't trust him (Downey) to look after my handkerchief, but I'll watch him in anything, and that is why Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang--smug as it is, and more like a day in the reptile house than a night at the movies--remains a slithery treat.
Designed as a giant put-on, "Kiss Kiss" is so inside Hollywood, so anxious to bite the hand that fed Black, that it plays like an elaborate prank. Some of it is a lot of fun; most of it is a lot of nonsense.
I don't think Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is an altogether bad movie. It's just a movie with no particular reason for existing, a flashy, trifling throwaway whose surface cleverness masks a self-infatuated credulity.
Oct 22, 2017
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang might be Shane Black's worst film. Its narration is jarring and annoying, and its characters are unlikable. None of the actors seem to show any amount of range; Downey Jr. might as well be playing himself. Black's primary problem is he thinks his cleverness is enough to carry the plot, and it's not. It is merely a diversion from the lack of truly original ideas. A bunch of incoherent threads are haphazardly linked together. None of them meaning much in the lackluster ending.
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May 29, 2016
Couldn't get pass the first five minutes of this gimmicky nonsense. It jumps from scene to scene, from plot thread to plot thread so rapidly, you completely lose any sense of continuum. The narrator addresses the viewer directly, which is jarring and takes you out of the fictional world, reminding you you're watching a film. It's also very unbelievable and hohoho Val Kilmer plays a gay man - how novel and funny. The first scene he's in involves another man discussing his gayness with him, just a hint of the hijinks to come. The Nice Guys looks like it will be much better than this pretentious crap.
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Production Company
- Warner Bros.
- Silver Pictures
Release Date Oct 21, 2005
Duration 1 h 43 m
Rating R
Tagline Sex. Murder. Mystery. Welcome to the party.
Awards
Satellite Awards
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 5 Nominations
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
