THE NICE GUYS REVIEWED
“The Nice Guys” is why I love Shane Black. A cult movie nerd liking Shane Black is a dime a dozen anymore, but Black knows how to build movies. While many parts of this grand mystery are familiar to Black fans, there’s something about the follow through that makes me smile. Somewhere between the dispatching of Blueface and the arrival of John Boy, “The Nice Guys” states its purpose. This isn’t about a missing girl, a porno or the need to protest against pollution. This is a film about identity and how the need to act tough doesn’t mean a damn thing unless you back it up.
March and Healy are an amazing team, as they approach the guise of the tough detective in different ways. Crowe plays Healy as a tough enforcer, while Gosling nails the Gould style nature of March. Kim Basinger does a lot of heavy lifting in an otherwise thankless role. As I think about the best of the year so far, this might not be the best of the best, but it’s the one I’m going to rewatch the most. Solid work all around.
FILM STATS
- Warner Brothers
- 1hr and 56 mins
- R
