THE NICE GUYS – Review

Los Angeles is maybe known world-wide as an entertainment mecca, ground zero for all things that glitter, but it’s also the locale for thrillers and the “hard-boiled” mystery. Everybody from Bogie to Bob Mitchum threw on a trench coat, adjusted their fedoras, and strolled down those dark streets and alleys, looking for danger (and dangerous dames). This week’s new flick somewhat echoes those noir “programmers”. Being a big Summer release, we’ve got two “gumshoes” dodging bullets. And it’s not post WWII California, but rather post Vietnam War “la la land” circa 1977 (near Christmas-time). Now, with two bickering private eyes, you might consider this a variation of the standard “cop buddy” actioner. That’s appropriate since this movie is directed by the screenwriter who set the template for police team-up flicks back in 1987 with LETHAL WEAPON, Shane Black. It turns out that this movie’s heroes are just as lethal as Riggs and Murtaugh, although they refer to themselves as THE NICE GUYS.
The film’s story does commence in that year of the first STAR WARS adventure, as we witness the spectacular demise of porn actress Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio). But is she really gone? A wealthy relative, Mrs. Glenn (Lois Smith) swears she has seen her, and hires the somewhat disreputable but fully licensed PI Holland March (Ryan Gosling) to find her. During his work, Holland tries to locate another aspiring actress Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley). But Ms. K has hired her own PI (sans said license), self-defense guru Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), to find out why some guys (plural) are asking her friends about her. Healy catches up to March, strongly advising him to back off during a beat down witnessed by March’s precocious 13 year-old daughter, (Mom’s out of the picture) Holly (Angourie Rice). Case closed, so thinks Healy until two very tough goons bust up his place demanding Amelia’s location. These brutal pros convince Healy that some very powerful folks must be interested in the lady. Reluctantly he teams with March to find her before they do. This pairing sends the miss-matched duo into the seedy world of adult films, ecology protesters, the US auto industry, and the department of justice as the evade a most deadly hit man named, of all things, John Boy (Matt Bomer).

The story’s main draw are indeed, the two “nice” guys at its center. The pleasant surprise may be Crowe, who seems more energetic and engaged than in many of his recent films (his Noah seemed just seemed to lumber and mope about his ship). His expanded physique (Healy is on the wagon, so he appears to be hitting the sweets, with a fondness for the chocolate soda elixer Yoo-Hoo), makes him a most dangerous bear (the grey goatee adds to it), who is surprisingly capable of swift, brutal force. But there’s also a sad, haunted quality to him as though the world has done much more damage to him than any hulking thug. Gosling’s March has a different kind of energy and attitude. He’s a deadly dimwit, always armed but completely clueless. The often somber, serious actor displays a knack for physical comedy, particularly when a bit of action goes awry (“Man, that’s a lotta’ blood!”). March is stubborn and surly, but he can also be a needy puppy, eager for respect from Healy. Rice is quite good as his daughter, often the “straight man” to Gosling. At times she even acts as the responsible parent in the family dynamic. Bomer tosses off his MAGIC MAN “eye candy” roles and makes an often frightening, high-caliber “boogey-man” (there’s a great glint in his eyes as he smiles before another bit of mayhem). Speaking of the bad guys, screen vet Keith David still packs a wallop as the less manic enforcer who tries to keep his younger cohort Beau Knapp in line, as a noir staple, the sniggering unhinged sadist. Plus Crowe’s Oscar-winning co-star from LA CONFIDENTIAL Kim Basinger pops up as a “John (…er Jane) Law” official who may or may not be helping the fellas’ (can it really be two decades since that classic?).
Director (and co-screenwriter) Black makes certain that the film is drenched in 1970’s kitsch (gas lines, record albums, fashions, cars, even an appearance from an iconic disco band), which is amusing, but often seems a distraction from the way too convoluted plot. With the hindsight of history, the big scheme elicits a laugh or two, similar to, but nowhere near as clever as, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (who owed a great deal to CHINATOWN). Plus the comedy bits take away much of the danger and urgency of the story, with the film hitting a pacing wall at the one hour mark (like many comedies). After his tenth foul-up, March’s antics truly try our patience with his Closeau-like bumbles and stumbles (he even mimics Lou Costello’s raspy-voiced panic bit). After his daughter is exposed to so much (violence and a porno party), we’re rooting for the authorities to step in (although she is generally more mature than her Pop). The flick truly earns its “R” with lots of random nudity (the beginning bit with Misty is pretty creepy) and plenty of gory gunplay (Black likes to show countless  random bystanders going down during the many shoot-outs). Maybe this is to convey a wild “un-PC” vibe, but comes off as mean-spirited. The big auto show finale’ just drags on and on with a ludicrously limp payoff. The two main stars of THE NICE GUYS are indeed nicely paired, but it’s a shame their seventies shenanigans aren’t more interesting and entertaining. Nice try.
3 Out of 5