Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Here's a movie that I really didn't expect much from. First off, it's about the LA wannabe actor scene and, frankly, I could do with less of actors telling me how brutal it is trying to make a crust pretending to be someone else thank you very much. Secondly the cast is somewhat uninspiring. The three leads comprise the biggest waster ever to make it onto the A-list based on talent (Robert Downey Jnr), the most useless twat ever to make onto the A-list for any reason whatsoever, if only for 15 minutes (Val Kilmer, Doors twat) and some bint with medium/not bad bajoobies who is probably only marginally more successful in life than her character is in the movie. Support is provided by a slew of ex soap actor types. Sounds shallow? That's what I thought. In a little more detail though, the plot is a mixture of mob drama, detective story and LA wannabe actors go through ... whatever LA wannabe actors go through as they strive for the A-list. This movie sells itself as being as cool as Get Shorty, as funny and quirky as 200 cigarettes and as intriguing as Momento. The shock here is that, in my opinion, it succeeds.

Robert Downey Jnr reminds us in this film of just how much of his talent he's wasted on, well, being wasted. Bint with joobies does a passable job and gets them out sufficiently (if there is such a thing) and Val kilmer is, well, really good actually. Val Kilmer is the real eye opener here. I fucking hate this guy. I can't think of a movie that I've seen him in that I enjoyed and can't think how he could possibly make a movie enjoyable for me, unless perhaps the movie centered around him being hunted down and slowly dismembered by the rest of the Doors, who then turn on each other in an orgy of pain and gore before finishing off by disemboweling Oliver Stone. I think you get the picture. This picture is different though; for 2 hours in his acting career, Val Kilmer actually stops taking himself seriously. Simple but effective. Val (we're on first name terms now, at least until his next film) plays Gay Perry, private detective to the stars. He gets invites to all the right parties and is tall, blond and impeccably groomed. He is also single. It is therefore assumed by the LA crowd of which he is a part that he's gay, hence the nick, I suppose. Or perhaps it’s short for Gary, but unlikely. You never really find out if he is or not and it doesn't really matter, the point is the opportunity for Val and Robert Downey Jnr to engage in continuous banter skirting the rim of Val's alleged gayness. RDJnr plays Harry, a guy who by sheer luck happens to ace an audition while on the run from the cops following a burglary and is set up with Val to get some private detective lessons as a way of preparing for the part he is to play. Sound forced? well, it is a little, but never mind it's over in minutes. I could have done without the whole "this is how it works in LA" voiceover by RDJnr crap, just because I've heard it all before, frankly. It doesn't invade the movie too much though, if you concentrate instead on the rapport between Downey and Val, and on support breasts getting them out every-so-often. Thoroughly enjoyable and worth a view of Val at his least shit, which is actually not at all bad.

Bomber out