While I Didn’t Hate ‘Nice Guys’, I Won’t Remember It By Next Week.
Sometimes the worst movies are the mediocre ones. If you are truly stellar, you’ll be a knock out OR if you are really shitty, at least I’ll have something to talk about. Shane Black’s ‘The Nice Guys’ is neither truly bad or really good; it’s just pretty bland.
The thing about ‘The Nice Guys‘ is that it would certainly be fresh and original if you only watch mainstream Hollywood films. If you dive deeper into genres pieces and look for obscure standouts, the film looks reductive compared to the rest. It blended genre lines, there was some graphic content, and let’s not forget the convoluted plot…these are all things you do when you’re trying to be “inventive”.
Look, I loved the neo-noir nature of Shane Black’s debut film “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang“. Hell, I think most movies after it have tried to re-capture the magic of the film.
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That includes “The Nice Guys“…
To me, the film never went the extra mile it could have. Just when a twist should come or the introduction of a major character happened, the tension was no-where to be found. If they could have added a pinch more drama to this comedy, Black could have had the year’s most interesting movie. Example: the whole confusion of characters like Amelia (Margaret Qualley) and Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio) would have been played up a bit more or mysterious hit-man John Boy (Matt Bomer) could have had more focused instead of minor villains like Blue Face (yes, that’s legit what they called Beau Knapp).
“The Nice Guys” isn’t totally fault riddled. All of the much-needed 1970’s nostalgia was there. From Earth, Wind, and Fire to pornographic “art” films, you can feel the 70’s atmosphere everywhere you looked. The art department put a lot of work into giving the film a truly authentic 70’s experience.
While I did say I wanted a little less comedy, the comedic efforts made by Ryan Gosling were honestly great. His character Holland March really shined next to the slick Russell Crowe’s Jackson Healy. The two men worked wonderfully with each other but the person that outshines them both is Angourie Rice as March’s teenage daughter named Holly. There was quite a few times when I cheered for her mischief or quick wit. She’s the perfect addition to their dysfunctional team.
I wanted to like ‘The Nice Guys‘ more than I did but I can’t say I down-right hated the film. Maybe I’m desensitized as a viewer but it just wasn’t weird enough. I recommended you see the movie but don’t expect to be stunned by it.
‘The Nice Guys‘ arrives in theaters on May 20th, 2016. The movie stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, and Matt Bomer.
