Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - 2005 * * * * *

Sex, murder, mystery - Welcome to the party.

There is little I can say about this film except 'wow.' I think I have found my new favourite actor in Robert Downey Jnr, and this will now probably be one of my new favourite films. The minute I'd finished it I sat back and watched the whole thing again, laughing with the same guffaw as I had the last time. I doubt very much that this film will grow old or unwatchable as I find something different to enjoy and appreciate each time I see it (I've seen it 5 times since ). One of the reasons I am so pleased with this film is that actually it bases itself comically to the exact situations that you tend to find yourself seeing in regular murder mystery 'Hollywoodised' films. It knows it's prodding it's finger comically and wants you to do the same. It knows exactly what parts of Hollywood films you dislike and it encludes them, but only to make sure you laugh at the irony of the whole thing. Downey narrates for entirety of the movie and even at the end he speaks to the camera to engage with the audience. His quick wit, improvisation and remarkably clever screwball comedic mind (which could match the likes of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn)is showcased to the best of its ability. His timing is genius, and watching him and Val Kilmer together (who I think was also full of laughs as 'Gay Perry') is a mighty enjoyable experience.
The other reason that I am so pleased I like this movie, (no actually, I love this movie) is that I thought it would be a guaranteed flop. I bought it, realising with dread that I'd never want to see it and hid it away immediatly, almost giving it away for free so that I would never have to see it. It makes me almost hysterical with joy to find out that a film I have prepared myself to despise is actually one of the funniest films I have ever seen (and I've seen a l0t of films) and has introduced me to a new actor and all his work which I look forward to collecting. Any film that has the balls to criticise the whole Hollywood 'franchise' of broken dreams and empty wallets whilst producing a film based on those exact things is going to score highly in my book.
Absolutely hilarious.