Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Great film. Didn't know what to expect from this as I was lent it by a friend who said he wasn't that keen on it. This probably helped as I watched it with no preconceptions and thouroughly enjoyed it.

I don't want to give too much away as I think just watching it and not knowing much about it is the best way to see this film. Expect black humour and good entertainment. An unexpected treat!

We watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on DVD, knowing nothing more than it was some form of murder mystery with a very interesting cast. Robert Downey Jr. plays Harry, the narrator, who is a petty criminal, who due to a weird twist of fate is in Hollywood for a screen test for a detective film. He is introduced to Gay Perry (Val Kilmer), a private detective who consults on Hollywood films, as he is meant to spend a couple of days with Perry to get a better idea about the role for which he's auditioning. The same night he is introduced to Perry, he runs into Harmony, a girl he knew back in high school. Soon he's in the middle of a strange murder mystery involving a body in the boot of a car, Harmony's estranged sister and some old detective stories he used to read when he was younger.

The film is a somewhat farcical, surreal comedic take on old-style film noir, and it's absolutely brilliantly scripted and acted. Both Kilmer and Downey Jr. are in fine form, and they play off each other beautifully. The plot itself, even though you know everything is connected - Harry tells you as much at the start of the film in his narration - you never quite know how everything is connected until the final few scenes, as Perry works it out before anyone else can.

This film was very entertaining viewing on a boring Saturday night, and it is highly recommended.