kiss kiss bang bang
… is a hilarious buddy-cop comedy that’s slightly twisted. Harry (Downey Jr., Guide to recognizing your saints), the thief, ends up landing the role of a detective in a film after a botched robbery attempt. A private eye, (Kilmer, Salton Sea) works with him to research his role. A struggling actress meets up with the two of them and enlists them to help solve the mystery of her sister’s disappearance.
It’s not film noir in the classic sense, but modernized. The cigarette smoking hero/narrator explains and deduces while solving an unlikely riddle. The direction is great, working with the narration to tell a story in a disorganized, but purposeful way. The story unfolds in parts, some in flash back and others through asides. It’s entertaining and smartly done.
The characters are strong and easily related to on top of being genuinely funny in their own ways. The acting is strong. The pace is intentionally sporadic, which kept me on my toes. It’s not what you’d expect from a buddy crime drama, but it builds on the long-standing framework while manipulating it to its own ends. There’s a realness and surrealness to the entire plot that makes for a good show.
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