Movie review - "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005) ***1/2

A joyous tonic for those worried about Hollywood's inability to make decent commercial films any more: a funny, clever action-murder mystery with Robert Downey Jnr getting involved in kidnapping plot while on holiday in LA. He runs into a gay private eye (Val Kilmer), an old flame (Michelle Monaghan), a millionaire actor (Corbin Bensen) and other low lives. Plenty of twists and turns, funny dialogue, good work from all the cast. Its fun to see two of Hollywood's bad boys, Downey Jnr and Kilmer, play the buddy leads, and Monaghan is a nice find. Written and directed by Shane Black who had to struggle to get this made - this had to struggle to be made?? It's a commercial film??? Yet it must be admitted - it hasn't been a blockbuster. C'est la vie... all I can say is the audience I saw it with really enjoyed it, and this was several weeks after release, so word of mouth must be good.

Some random things I liked: Shane Black really has to start thinking of other things to use in his movies apart from buddy duos, kidnapping and Christmas; I loved the bit where Monaghan is talking away and Downey is just looking at her boob; the depiction of crazy women in LA is depressingly accurate; Val Kilmer can't afford to put on pounds - he only has to add a few and he becomes unattractive, as here; this remains Monaghan's best role.