The Nice Guys Review

Justin and I saw The Nice Guys on May 22, 2016! This is definitely one of the best movies of 2016, and honestly, one of the better movies in the last few years. It was a great mix of mystery, action, comedy, and dynamic characters.

This movie reminded me of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which is one of the most underrated movies of all time IMO). It makes sense as Shane Black wrote and directed this. The movie gives us a very intricate plot where every little detail connects in some way: whether it's pornography, the environment, or even Richard Nixon. This movie has brilliant writing throughout. The dialogue is intelligent. There are never any slow moments in this movie. Each piece of the movie flows. The characters constantly keep us invested in the story.

I think Ryan Gosling's work as Holland March is my favorite male performance of the year thus far. His work as the down on his luck private investigator was a fantastic character study. His imbecility blended with his drive to prove his worth to those around him, including his daughter, Holly is a great story. Much like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang his investigation eventually connects with Russell Crowe's brute of a character Jackson Healey. He also is on a mission to prove his worth where he truly belongs in society. Crowe was phenomenal here. He might have unorthodox, intense ways to get information, but at the same time he is doing these things for the right reason. I think the chemistry with Gosling and Crowe is excellent. They never missed a beat. The dialogue between them was timed perfectly. They shared tremendous comedic and dramatic scenes together. I think Angourie Rice also deserves a lot of praise for her work as Holly. She was the glue that held this team together through everything. She is intelligent and helps her father and Jackson each step of the way.

The action sequences are so well done. They are so over the top, but with the nature of the different stories going on it worked so well. The brutality in the action sequences was necessary for the tone of the movie. Everything was timed perfectly. The auto show scenes keep you on the edge of your seat. The scenes at Sid Shaddick's mansion are some of the best movie moments of 2016. Both Holland & Jackson's journey has a great ending that both deserve. The bumps and bruises accumulated along the way are necessary for them to feel whole. It also helps Holland become closer to Holly, which I really liked. Jackson also bonds with Holly in his own way which was great for Jackson's character.

I highly recommend this movie. The excellent characters, the dialogue, the action sequences, the genuine comedy, the dramatic elements, the cast in general, and the tremendous writing and directing gets a definite 5/5 from me. This is the type of movie we go to the theaters for.