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 kiss kiss, bang bang
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.Screenwriter Shane Black sticks the knife in. Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black ends a 10-year moviemaking hiatus with a directorial debut that favours the deconstruction of his own patented buddy-movie antics, rather than the template’s standard explosions. Troublesome stars Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer excel as small-time crook and gay detective, respectively, in a modern homage to film noir and LA, packed with cracking one-liners and brutal thrills. All good thoroughly unclean fun but often so self-reflexive that it might be better entitled Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, on national release 11 November 05.
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comment by rowan
Nov 18, 2005
Surely the chapter titles just underline one of the worlds that it's been drawn from? If you got them then fine, if not it wouldn't hinder your enjoyment I wouldn't think. It did openly fancy itself, that was part of what it was I felt - I'm sure he killed 16 people at the end after they'd discussed how their Marlowe-esque character always did in the books (not that I counted, but it was just that sort of film) - but isn't that just self-referential in a silly way rather than a meaningful way? I found its self-involvement generally silly, rather self-important. Each to their own though. It wasn't astonishingly brilliant or anything, but it did tickle my fancy.
comment by Brendon
Nov 17, 2005
I'm sorry, but I think it loved itself. All the Chandler chapter titles and so on - what use are they if you aren't supposed to pat yourself on the back for recognising them?I wouldn't go so far as to say the film wants to be the keystone of a pseudo-cineaste circle jerk, but it does simply seek to be loved by people who think they are smart for loving it. Wait and see the reputation of this one get blown out of all proportion over the next year or five.
comment by rowan
Nov 16, 2005
Ough! I didn't feel that it necessarily celebrated its knowingness, I thought it was more light hearted than that - it wasn't elitest in its approach to making a fairly clever but mainstream Hollywood movie. And afterall, it was directed by The Man Who Brought You Lethal Weapon...
comment by Brendon
Nov 15, 2005
I thought it stunk. About a half dozen laugh out load moments amongst the smug stockpiling of cliches. I like Downey Jr, Kilmer was passable, Monaghan was pretty poor. The cinematography was pretty accomplished, though, even if these shots were then so badly edited together I was sometimes appalled.My main issue was how the level of cine-literacy required to get the "in jokes" was hardly gold level standard but the film still celebrated its knowingness. Pah!
comment by rowan
Nov 14, 2005
Fantastically fun clever comedy this one. Nothing too deep or challenging but lots of refences and a wry, sideways take on buddy, detective, rom com movies.
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