Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
2005 · Directed by Shane Black
Original language: English
- comedy
- crime
- mystery
- thriller
The story
A petty thief 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 and a detective who's been training him for his upcoming role...
What it’s like
Bright Los Angeles sunlight bleaches the hills and palm-lined streets, then gives way to dim, saturated night interiors of bars, a sprawling mansion and a cramped apartment, lit by lamps and the cold blue of a television. The camera is restless and quick, with snappy cuts, voiceover narration that pulls the viewer straight into the fray, and frequent direct address that keeps the hustle loud and playful. The score leans on jaunty jazz and punchy bursts of percussion, and the dialogue is fast, profane and cheerfully wry. It is a sun-bleached neo-noir with a sly, crackling energy, the sort of breezy caper that feels like a bruised love letter to hardboiled crime fiction. Violence is frequent and sudden, with gunfire, fistfights, a few bloody injuries and a corpse or two, but it is played for jolts and absurd timing rather than lingering gore, and there is strong profanity and some sexual innuendo throughout. Best for fans of screwball crime comedies who want a fast, smart-mouthed mystery, not for anyone seeking something gentle or calm.
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