THE NICE GUYS is the movie I'm recommending to all my friends.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/22/16 at 12:26am

Ok, this one really does exceed the hype (i.e. 90% on Rotten Tomatoes). It's the smartest funniest slam-bangiest fun studio pic I've been to in I don't know how long, and it NAILS the year 1977 in a way not seen since the movies that were actually shot that year. Ryan Gosling has never been more charismatic or riotously funny. Russell Crowe is the perfect yin to his yang. The cast is flawless top to bottom, especially the brilliant Angourie Rice playing Gosling's precocious teenage daughter. Just wow. 

Yeah, it's got loads of cartoon violence, and yeah, there's a smattering of gratuitous nudity (none of which features either Gosling OR Matt Bomer, sadly). It's just a whipsmart saga about mismatched-gumshoe buddies with all the great script structure of a vintage William Goldman screenplay. Little wonder given that it's Shane Black's baby.

Who else has seen it and can weigh in?

Updated On: 5/22/16 at 12:26 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/22/16 at 12:14pm

Is the plot as convoluted as Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang? I love that movie (&RDjr's performance) but I think i had to see it 3x before i could truly follow/understand the plot. ( Not 100% sure I still do either)

[hork]

Posted: 5/22/16 at 1:15pm

Someone in a Tree2 said: The cast is flawless top to bottom,

Except Kim Basinger, who is somehow getting worse as an actress.

I enjoyed it overall, but found it boring in parts. I definitely prefer Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

 

sabrelady - The plot is convoluted, but I had no trouble following it.

 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/22/16 at 1:26pm

Poor Kim Bassinger-- I fault her badly written character here more than the actress's skills.

Agree about there being some boring parts in this-- it's true you felt all 2 hours of the running time while you're watching it. Which is a weird thing to say for a movie I loved. Yeah, they could easily have excised 20 minutes out of the last 3rd of the film, but anytime I was bored I could still feast on the super-smart sets and costumes, or on the crazy antics of Ryan Gosling's eyebrows.

[Fantod]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 11:28am

Now we stand on opposite ends of the spectrum, Someone in a Tree2. I thought it was a decent amount of fun, and I was impressed with what it was willing to do narratively, but really it's just not funny enough, but still operates within comedic boundaries. This makes the heavy moments really not work. Gosling is also not strong enough at physical comedy to make his character the laugh-riot that it should be, and Crowe is good but not given much to do. 

On the plus side, one can do worse than looking at Ryan Gosling for 2 hours, and the little kid was pretty funny.

And the Quinceañera scene is amazing.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/26/16 at 5:55pm

I'm relieved to read your recommendation SiaT2!  I love Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Shane Black's writing/ directing generally, but Russell Crowe has been off the boil for a while and I was worried.

I can look forward to seeing the movie now.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 1:59am

I probably would have enjoyed this picture more if I were closer to the age of a frat boy.  It's certainly well made but the gags are a little juvenile for my taste.  But as mindless entertainment, it goes down easy enough.  

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 9:43am

Enjoyed it a lot, worked out the twist really early on, loved the kid.