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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
There are many buddy cop films in film. You have classics like Lethal Weapon or even the Rush Hour films. They are funny, entertaining, and enjoyable to watch. Some buddy cop films even go a different route, like 48 Hours with a cop and a criminal. The Nice Guys is another film that joins the group in a funny and entertaining way.
Now, I learned the film was directed by Shane Black, who has written and directed films as in Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero, and The Long Kiss Goodnight. No wonder I like this movie. Black is awesome at making buddy cop films, and this is why I think this film worked so well because he knew what he was doing and wrote and directed an awesome movie. Black made this film a dark comedy with funny characters, an awesome setting, and freakin’ great ass music.
The Nice Guys is a buddy “cop” film where a private eye and a tough enforcer team up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. Set in 1977 Los Angeles, a young boy is chilling and admiring a magazine centerfold of porn star Misty Mountains (Telio). Suddenly, Misty crashes her car through the boy’s house and dies afterward. The films shifts to a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic, sometimes terrible father private eye Holland March (Gosling) is hired by Misty’s aunt, who swears up and down that she is still alive and has seen her a few days ago in the house across the street. March investigates, which leads him to Amelia Kuttner (Qualley), an associate of Misty. Amelia, not liking being investigated, hires enforcer Jackson Healy (Crowe) to scare March away. Healy being a man of extreme efficiency, barges into March’s house like he owns the place and breaks his arm before leaving. When two men arrive and interrogate Healy about Amelia, Healy fights them off and reluctantly decides to team up with March to find Amelia first. As the men search for Amelia, they soon learn there is a bigger plot at play.
Listen, I was hesitant about watching Nice Guys because it didn’t seem interesting, but I found the story absolutely funny and the movie fun to watch. Sometimes those buddy cop movies really hit the mark. It reminded me so much of movies like Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, and even 48 hours (even though that one had a criminal and a cop working together). This one had two private eyes that seemed so far on each end of the spectrum, you didn’t know if they would work together or not. Yet, somehow and someway, they come together and solve a case that has many turns, mysteries, and head-scratching moments because there is a giant bee in the film.
The comedy in this film is also great. It seems like at every turn, there is a comedic moment. First, each character narrates their life in the beginning in grand fashion. When March breaks into a house, he cuts his hand and loses so much blood that he has to be rushed to a hospital. When Jackson breaks March’s arm, that scream he did was priceless. Jackson, even with being serious, had his moments. Dude finds out his wife is banging his dad. Also, when he is attacked by two thugs, he freakin throws a fish at one of them. Who throws a fish?
As you watch this film, you wonder how Jackson and March actually get along and work together. First, Jackon breaks March’s arm because he was hired by Ameilia to stop him from snooping around. Then the one who hired Jackson soon becomes a target, and both men must find her to solve a case about her doing a PSA, but it is also a porn. It’s funny how in one scene, March gives this elegant speech about the meaning of the card, and then they go, and it’s the wrong place. They go to the actual hotel, and they ride the elevator up. They poke their head out and see two men getting killed and one thrown out of the window. The way they hit the button to go back down was priceless.
Now, the setting is just perfect for this film. I love how the film was set in 1977 Hollywood. It has that 70s feel to it with all the costumes and big ass cars. Actually, the clothing is the best part of the film because it’s all about the bell-bottoms and big-ass suit jackets. Also, porn is at the forefront of this film. The first scene is a porn star dying in a car crash. Then Ameilia makes a porn film in protest of polluting the air.
Also, I LOVE the music of this film. You can straight jam out to the soundtrack songs, and it gives that full-on 70s feel. The movie starts off with “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by the one and only Temptations. Then there are other classics like “Get Down on It by Kool & The Gang, “Boogie Oogie Oogie” by A Taste of Honey, “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire and “Love and Happiness” by Al Green and “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire. You can’t tell me they are not some classic songs to dance to. Each one of them is perfectly set in the movie to make a nice little impact.
The cast and the characters that they play are spot on and so well done. Each character has some major flaws about themselves, and it’s entertaining to watch how they do their job. Crowe and Gosling are so funny and good at their roles it makes this movie go. Russell Crowe as Jackson Healy is just so cool and calm and also a person who plays absolutely no games with people. He does his job and then goes on with his life. He breaks people’s arms, gives others advice, and has a sense of doing the right thing for his clients when it comes to getting paid by not taking advantage of them. Ryan Gosling as Holland March is the opposite as he is an alcoholic who seems to enjoy being in that state as dude has some major issues. Yet, the dude loves his daughter and is an actual good private eye.
The Nice Guys is a great and funny movie to watch. People might sleep on this film as it might look uninteresting, and the setting might turn people off. Give this movie a chance. It is directed by a person who knows how to make good movies. The cast is amazing and very entertaining in this film. Crowe and Gosling both are great with their delivery and approach to this film. You will enjoy this film.
