Movies

They say love and money don't mix, but you can't blame Harry Lockhart for trying. He's been whisked from a life of petty crime to Hollywood, where he'll audition for the role of a movie detective and be tutored for the part by a private eye. Now all Harry has to do is convince the dream girl he meets that he's an actual detective. And try not to stumble over the corpses as reel life abruptly gives way to the real.

Lights, camera, plenty of action! Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) provides the screenplay and makes his directing debut in a clever fusion of buddy movie and hardboiled noir produced by Joel Silver. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan play the thrust-together trio -- a naive schemer, a tough-as-nails gay detective, and a hopeful actress clinging to her dream. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Watch Watch.

A semi-ridiculous plot born out of the old pulp detective stories. Semi-ridiculous but wildly entertaining. The cast, the writing, and the direction were more than enough to turn unrealistic into fun on screen.

Robert Downey, Jr. impresses me time after time. Any chemical dependencies in his past aside, I think he has a lot of talent. He turns in a very enjoyable performance as Harry Lockhart. I would be hard pressed to decide if I like his work here better than in Wonder Boys, which, partially due to his influence, is a movie I love.

Michelle Monaghan is a relatively unknown name, though she makes heads turn. She was certainly a knockout in this movie, but she may be a bit too much like Liv Tyler for me, in looks, innocence, and mannerisms.

The show was absolutely stolen by Val Kilmer. When you watch the movie you wonder if he can sustain the exalted level of sarcastic wit and incredible timing. Some credit is due to Robert Downey, Jr. for his part in how well they worked together, but Val was great. This just might be his best performance, if I may be so bold.

There will be a time or two where you wonder if the suspense is overdone, but by the end of the movie you will probably be too entertained to remember. The writing was probably the best part; from Robert Downey, Jr.'s monologues as narrator to his constant banter with Val Kilmer, I was impressed. It was a unique film and I appreciate seeing something that is a break from the norm, especially when it is as funny and fun to watch as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

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