KISS KISS BANG BANG

US, 2005, 103 minutes, Colour.
Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monahan, Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Shannyn Sossamon.
Directed by Shane Black.

The elemental title for sex and violence.

First time director Shane Black has been writing action thrillers in Hollywood for many years (Lethal Weapon screenplays, for instance). He really comes into his own with this top entertainment.

Black uses the noir tradition to amusing effect, LA Confidential style. But he also plays with his skills as a writer by introducing a narrator who jests and argues with the audience, even going back to correct some of his introductory omissions. Black also gives each day of the action its caption – all titles of Raymond Chandler thrillers which relate to this plot as well. He makes reference to sexy potboilers and their tawdry and impossible plots and their violent climaxes with the hero tortured then shooting sixteen people (our hero is a bit more modest) as well as spoofing the requisite happy ending. The dialogue is smart, often knowing, and always clever. Come to think of it, there are lots of echoes of Chinatown as well.

Robert Downey Jr is in top form as a would-be child magician who has only made good as an adult petty thief, who steps into a movie audition while escaping the police and finds himself in Hollywood, apprenticed to a private eye named, for obvious reasons, Gai Paris (an agreeable Val Kilmer). Downey keeps just the right tone to make you like him, laugh when he invites you to and then gasp in dismay as he makes every mistake in the book, wrong guessing situations, throwing away weapons, revealing too much to the thugs…

This is a very confident and entertaining kiss and bang show, very likeable and enjoyable.

1.Shane Black and his reputation as a writer, the Lethal Weapon style? His transition to direction? Drawing on his skills for the screenplay, the adaptation of private eye thrillers to a modern setting?

2.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang as a work of pulp fiction, the conventions of pulp fiction? The hero – antihero? The ironies, in action, the crime situation, complex motivations, violence, heroics, humour? How well did they blend here?

3.The title, the basic sex and violence – the popular ingredients for pulp fiction?

4.The opening in the Midwest, the children, the church fair, the magic, the sawing the girl in half – and her screaming (and satisfaction with her ability to act)? The bond between the two? Harry as a young boy? His prospects?

5.The transition to New York City, the robbery in the store, Harry in the store, his associate, on the phone to check what he should be stealing? The alarm, getting caught, the shooting, his partner and the shooting? His running, the police chase, rushing into the audition? The passion of his situation, his poor acting, his reality when interrogated about his partner? The director, the casting group? The comic touch, affectation, their being moved by Harry, sending him to Los Angeles?

6.Los Angeles, Hollywood – the stereotypes? The parties, the people in the rooms at the party? The clubs and bars? Homes, the sanatorium? The streets, the bridges and freeways? The Los Angeles world of crime?

7.The film as playing on the conventions of film noir? The style and the comparisons with other films like Chinatown? Similarities of plot? The homage to Raymond Chandler, the plot developments, the titles and their coming from Chandler’s books?

8.The importance of the voice-over, Harry and his confiding in the audience, the introduction to himself, correcting his voice-over, making the audience complicit, interacting with them? The ironies of his comments – and especially about audience reaction? Audience expectations? The voice-over throughout, the summing up at the end?

9.Harry at the party, the encounter with Harmony, the fight and his being bashed? His going with Perry, his reaction to Perry’s style? The producer, the carry-on? Harlan Dexter as the host, his manner, the introduction to his daughter? The story of their clash, the inheritance, reconciliation?

10.Val Kilmer as Gay Paree, the sexual orientation and the jokes, partnerships, kisses… homophobia? Harry as apprentice? The bashing, Perry helping him at the party? Perry and his work, contacts? The job for Alison Ames? The set-up, the chase, the dead body? The corpse in the room? The comedy and bizarre touches with the disposing of the body in the bin?

11.The developments of the puzzle, clarity for the audience? The clues? Harry and his wrong assumptions, wrong guesses, wrong actions? Perry and his being sure? The visit to the bar, the discussions with the men, with Harmony Faith? Recognising her? Memories of old times, her not having succeeded in Hollywood as she wanted? The story of her sister, her sister’s death, the credit card? Harmony’s story about her sister, about the abuse from her father and coming to Los Angeles? The hero of the fictitious novels and their both liking them? The joke about Xanadu? The films, Dexter and his being a performer? The build-up to the dangers, the thugs? Harmony and her involvement – and her coping with the dangers?

12.The development of the plot, the explanation of the truth, Harmony’s sister and her identity, the third girl, her death and Harry under the bed? Harry and his unexpected shooting of the thug? The chases? Perry being shot – and surviving? The hearse? The institute? The staff? Harry and the continuing danger, the chase, his dangling over the freeway? His reflexes – and the gun, the ricochet, shooting Dexter?

13.Dexter, his character, wealth, his daughter? The party, his thugs? His institute? The truth about his daughter, her murder, disposing of the body, Alison and her death, the thugs and the other girl being killed?

14.Harmony, her involvement, the murders, the effect, her improvising, the phone calls, being able to cover?

15.The picture of the thugs, the brutality – with the comic touch? Their exits?

16.Harry, his bewilderment, the effect, tired, the apartment, moving in and out, trying to keep pace with Perry, the explanations?

17.The world of Los Angeles, show business, wealth, violence? The humour with the themes of the advertisement – and the finale?

18.Harry, the deaths, Perry’s being wounded? The final talk to the audience – and leaving, the commercial?

19.Harry, the funeral, going to see Harmony’s father, the confrontation and the violence?

20.A satisfying action thriller, comedy? The ironies and the parodies as well as use of the private eye, pulp fiction genre?