Twenty years ago today Shane Black's directorial debut received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. Unfortunately, a limited release meant that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was not the blockbuster hit it should have been. Or as Robert Downey Jr. put it; it "tanked". What could have been the start of a series of adventures - imagine a trilogy of mysteries with Gay Perry and his two misfit associates - sadly drifted into obscurity.
Anyway, by now you may wonder how I wound up here. Or maybe not. Maybe you wonder how silly putty picks shit up from comic books. The point is, I don't see another Goddamn narrator, so pipe down.
I first became aware of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang when I read about it in a film magazine (probably Empire). The article featured that hilarious image of Downey Jr.'s 'Harry Lockhart' dangling from the hand of a corpse. Said hand is protruding from a coffin caught on a traffic sign, which is attached to a bridge in Long Beach, California. Naturally, this peculiar image easily caught my attention, and after reading the article I remember being very interested in seeing the film. However, there wasn't any information on when it would be released. And that was it. I didn't hear anything more - probably thanks to a non-existent marketing campaign - until 2006, when I saw the DVD on sale for £5 in my local supermarket.
As much as it was a real treat discovering this little gem as I searched for a quick and easy dinner after a hard day at the office, it's still disappointing to think that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang never got its chance to be a cinematic success. Not that that prevented it from bringing joy to many a movie fan, with it's status as a cult classic being well deserved. Not to mention its award for "Overlooked Film of the Year" 2005, from the Phoenix Film Critics Society - bravo, Phoenix. Even Mark Kermode enjoyed it, possibly as much as he enjoyed slating it; "As shallowness goes, it's pretty shiny".
In approaching what would be his directorial debut, the writer of such classics as Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout went full on Shane Black to deliver what could possibly be the most Shane Black movie to ever Shane Black - certainly up to this point, anyway. It's Christmas time (of course), there's a criminal conspiracy underway in the City of Angels (unsurprisingly), and the three unlikeliest of partners are, quite inadvertently, the only ones standing in the way. That's right, a reluctant private eye, a numbskull of a petty criminal, and an aspiring actress are going to solve "the case of the dead people in L.A." People will die. A finger will be lost. And the detective/noir genre will be both shredded and celebrated. Does it get more Shane Black than that?
At its heart Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a dark and convoluted mystery. Albeit one viewed through Black's uniquely comedic lens. It is both a love letter to and a parody of the detective genre. There's a grittiness to it, one that contrasts perfectly with the glitz of Hollywood, and its faux Christmas look. But you'll also be laughing at a lot of the warped goings on. The movie twists and turns towards the big reveal in such a way that can make the plot seem overly complicated, when it's really not. Our villain's scheme is actually quite believable, it's just the journey to uncovering his little conspiracy that is all twisty and filled with Christmas. Come to think of it, Harry's hysterically poor narration doesn't help. The thing is; none of that matters, because it's such a joy hanging out with our heroes, you'd pretty much watch them do anything. Part of which is down to Black's talents as a writer - Downey Jr. described Kiss Kiss Bang Bang as "almost a perfect script" - as well as his keen eye as a director. But a lot of it comes from the electric chemistry between the trio leading the charge.
All three stars deliver stellar performances. Not only have you got two star actors in Kilmer and Downey Jr., bouncing off of each other like the odd couple they are. And of course, the marvellous Michelle Monaghan, who in one of her first starring roles more than holds her own opposite her veteran co-stars. She brings a sharp wit and confidence to Harmony, which she uses to keep the boys on their toes. There's actual joy and a lot of laughs to be found in watching this fledgling friendship develop. And the reason they are so good together is the genuine chemistry they share. Something that clearly comes from a very real place. All you have to do is watch the outtakes or the press interviews, or listen to the movie's commentary - something I highly recommend - and you will see just how well they get along, and how much they enjoyed making this movie. One of the first scenes they shot was the pool/balcony scene at the hotel, and the chemistry is already there.
At that point I'd never played a character who was so overtly not intelligent, but loveable. And I think it was very freeing.
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And thanks to Black's "almost a perfect script" - born from his delightfully dark sense of humour - our heroes have to go to some rather insane lengths as they attempt to solve this mystery that just won't leave them alone - as much as Val Kilmer's 'Perry' wishes it would. There is one particular antic, however, that the studio wanted to cut; the Russian Roulette scene. A choice that makes no sense, given that it's one of the funniest scenes in the whole movie. Thankfully Black refused. Anyway, as well as interrogations, our trio also have a hilarious method for discreetly removing bodies from hotels! Although the sound of that impact makes me both wince and laugh every time I hear it. And then there's that kiss! While it does say something pretty shitty about our world, Perry's ability to utilise homophobia to get out of a jam is genius, and that kiss is a perfect example.
Seeing Perry dive in, and Harry almost frozen before awkwardly stroking the side of Perry's face is certainly amusing, and just the right diversion for the passing cops. Again, this says something pretty shitty about humanity, but it shows just how comfortable the two actors were with each other. Even if (according to the movie commentary) Kilmer was pretending Downey Jr. was Kevin Bacon, while Downey Jr. told Conan O'Brien he was troubled by his co-star's dietary choices prior to shooting that scene; "it might have been a bit easier if he hadn't just like gone over to the craft service table, had a hoagie with a slab of mustard on it, or something." - I guess even actors get hungry.
The trouble is, while we're having all this fun with our heroes, the villain - played by the wonderful Corbin Bernsen (cue The Hunt for Red October reference) - is woefully neglected. So is Larry Miller's 'Dabney Shaw', but that has more to do with the fact that Miller is hysterical. If you were to make a movie or a show starring Miller that follows his unbridled producer around Hollywood... it would probably flop just like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but I would definitely watch it. As for Bernsen's 'Harlan Dexter' - with a name like that, how are you going to forget him? - he may only get to appear in a handful of scenes but that doesn't stop Bernsen from being brilliant. Believably sinister for the money-grubbing arsehole that he is, you might say.
That said, even if Harry hadn't given the game away with his masterful narration, it wouldn't be much of a mystery if the villain kept turning up everywhere. Something that would also leave the amusing duo of Mr Frying Pan (Dash Mihok) and Mr Fire (Rockmond Dunbar) with nothing to do. Which, to be fair, would probably be a good thing for Harry's finger - who knew a lost appendage could be so much fun? And while it isn't exactly an action movie, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang isn't without its hair-raising moments. Like that crazy surveillance in MacArthur Park in which Harmony manages to save the day. Or the magical finale shootout that sees Harry hanging from a bridge, with nothing to cling to but a dead girl's arm. As ridiculous as that particular moment is, the fact that the dead girl Harry is fighting for - after peeing on her, throwing her off a roof, and dumping her in the street - saves his life, is rather poetic... in a Shane Black kind of a way.
Maybe you could put the hat in the kettle, and if they shoot at it, it'll ricochet.
To this day, I still don't understand how Kiss Kiss Bang Bang wasn't one of the bigger movies of 2005. Sure, there was Potter and Sith, and some relatively unknown director did something with Batman, that year. But this crazy detective story from one of Hollywood's most notorious writers should not only have been a massive hit, it could have been the start of something huge. If only it were given a proper cinematic release, and an ad-campaign that actually informed the public that it was out there. As Downey Jr. said in the movie commentary; "We're a duo, where's our franchise?" Sadly, that is now a dream that will never be realised.
I had already begun writing this when Val Kilmer sadly passed away. However, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to pay tribute to this brilliant actor. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of many gems in his stellar filmography. His performance as Perry van Shrike, A.K.A. 'Gay Perry' remains one of my favourites. He brought strength, intelligence and perfect comic timing to the hilariously exasperated private investigator. Not to mention a charming degree of campiness. It's like he started with your average Hollywood detective and built from there. All of which made Perry this incredibly fun character - especially when he's verbally slaying Harry - and I for one, will always be disappointed that Kilmer didn't get the chance to play him again.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang may have been tragically under appreciated by the studio that produced it, preventing us from ever enjoying more escapades with Harry, Perry and Harmony, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a cult classic, and one with quite a legacy. For one thing, we did get a spiritual sequel of sorts in the form of The Nice Guys, in which Black once again demonstrates his ability to both write and direct darkly comedic buddy comedies about detectives and "dead people in L.A." Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling make for a hilarious duo as they try to unravel a mystery involving a missing girl, a dead porn-star and the American automotive industry, and much like Michelle Monaghan, Angourie Rice does very well opposite her veteran co-stars.
The true legacy of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, however, is that it played a part in Robert Downey Jr. winning the role of Iron Man - Jon Favreau reportedly saw the movie when he was in the casting phase for the MCU opener. Arguably something that has changed the cinema landscape considerably in the last 20 years. Without RDJ's Tony Stark, and the success of Iron Man, it's possible that the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn't have become the behemoth that it is today. Either way, Shane Black's directorial debut may not have been the commercial success it should have been, but that hasn't prevented it from having a significant cultural impact.
Now, go. Vanish.
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