Easily topping my list of the most underrated movies of the last ten years is Shane Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. At the same time though, more than any other it is the film responsible for Robert Downey Jr's career resurgence as it proves without a doubt he still had the charisma and humor to carry a film.
Downey Jr. stars in the film as Harry Lockhart, a small time crook in New York. On the run from the police, he runs right into an open audition. Thinking he's just another actor, they let him audition and with all his adrenaline and frayed nerves, he nails it and the next thing he knows he's being shipped off to LA for a screen test. To help him prepare, the producers hook him up with a local private detective to research his role. The detective is Gay Perry (played by Val Kilmer). He also meets up with former childhood sweetheart Harmony Lane (played by Michelle Monaghan) and the spark between the two is rekindled.
Perry takes Harry along on a simple surveillance gig that quickly takes a turn for the worse when they witness two masked men disposing of the dead body of a mysterious girl. From there, the two find themselves drawn into a twisty mystery as real life starts to resemble the old detective novels that Harry and Harmony loved as kids.
The real genius here though is with Shane Black's writing. The entire film is narrated by Harry who is the epitome of an unreliable narrator. He stops the film and goes back to show something he forgot to show earlier, swears and then apologizes for it, and frequently breaks the fourth wall. He even at one point tells an audience member, "Stop picking at that, you'll only make it worse."
The performances of all three cast members are exquisite. This film is largely responsible for proving Robert Downey Jr. could still carry a film and led to him landing the role in Iron Man. He does a fantastic job here delivering Shane's witty dialogue with aplomb and Val Kilmer as Perry is the perfect foil for him. Then there's the third stooge, Harmony, played by the lovely Michelle Monaghan. She never plays Harmony as a damsel in distress but as a very capable girl and is an equal team member to the other two, which I felt was refreshing.
The film does a great job portraying a sparkly Christmas setting as the backdrop for the film. But at the same time, there feels like there is something artificial and put upon about it,
which is no doubt Shane Black's point. This is no better accentuated than in a Holiday party Harry crashes that I can only imagine would be what Tim Burton's holiday party would be like.
Overall, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a fun, if slightly atypical holiday treat. If you're burnt out on the usual Christmas movies and want something with a little more bite, then there is nothing better than this. I love this film and I make time to watch it every year. It's not for everyone, but if you can get in it's groove, it's a blast.
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