Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

REVIEW
Shane Black makes a lively and entertaining debut with this tale of "Gay Perry" (Val Kilmer) an LA private eye, Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey, Jr.) a thief turned actor and Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan) a party girl/waitress/actress and a few assorted bodies. Black is the writer behind Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight. His considerable writing talents are at their height in this fun and smart murder mystery/buddy movie.

Downey is our wry narrator and the film opens with him in the process of stealing his son a gift while conferring with him on his cell phone as to the appropriate toy. The alarm is set off and to evade the police Harry wanders into an audition and reads for a part. Yes, this really happens in this film full of wonderful coincidences. Downey gets the part and they fly this petty thief/actor out to L.A. to start work -- his first real job. As Harry is to play a P.I., to get him ready for the part, they hire a real private investigator "Gay Perry". Harry goes out on the town and to impress Harmony, he lies and tells her that he's a P.I. She then tells him about her sister's suspicous suicide and tries to hire him to investigate. Meanwhile Harry and Perry go out investigating their first case and there's a body. Are the two deaths connected? Will Perry solve the dual mysteries?

Beautifully scored, photographed, written and acted, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is a superlative piece of Hollywood entertainment.