(From IMDb.com)
It’s 1977 in Los Angeles, and folks are having a fine time dancing their way through the smog, sort of, until a car carrying porno star Misty Mountains crashes down from the hills through the living room of a wide-eyed but somehow still respectful young teen.
Thus start the mysteries of The Nice Guys, a compelling buddy movie directed by Shane Black, co-written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi and featuring the vinegar-and-water pairing of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a couple of for-hire guys just trying to make a living.
Crowe’s Jackson Healy is a tough guy who’ll take a man’s money to shoo older men away from a father’s too-young daughter by knocking on the guy’s door and delivering the verbal you’re-a-creep message with a punch in the schnoz heavied by brass knuckles.
Gosling’s Holland March is a sweet and addled guy with a precocious 13-year-old daughter (played by the fantastic Angourie Rice) who’ll take anybody’s money to investigate their whims.
Their paths cross when Jackson’s case forces him to apologetically break Holland’s arm to back off of what he happens to be investigating.
Yes and no turns into them working together as things get more curious. Amelia, who turns up waif-like every now and again, becomes oh-so-central to all their lives (much thanks to Margaret Qualley’s determined barefoot performance). There’s a non-porno but “experimental” naked movie she made with a definitely porno director, nefarious and extremely violent characters trying to track her down, dead people turning up left and right, and a surprise appearance from her mother (Kim Basinger, oh-so-taciturn) who happens to be the head of the Justice Department.
The smog of the time is a big player as they determine that Big Three of Detroit is involved, and LA looks and sounds the part, with Earth, Wind and Fire showing up at a party.
The vibe is perfect, the chemistry is right, the story weaves it all.
A moderate-sized crowd for an early Saturday matinee at the big Regal Cinemas’ theater in Syracuse mall Shoppingtown seemed to enjoy it all.
What is your favorite Russell Crowe movie, and why? What is your favorite Ryan Gosling movie, and why? What is your favorite buddy movie, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
Hi Mark, I’m going to see this movie tonight so great to hear that you give it a good review! Thanks for the background info 🙂
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Enjoy it, Christy. I want to know what you think of it, of course! ❤
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I liked the movie, Mark. I think there were a few misses in the plot (inconsistencies) but Gosling was amazing in his part! I think he was the best in it 🙂 I give The Nice Guys 8/10!
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Yes, Ryan and his daughter were my two favorites, I’d say. Good little review by you, Christy. Thanks. ❤
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I have a soft spot in my heart for the Jackie Chan / Chris Tucker pairing in “Rush Hour,” but I have to say that the Gosling – Crowe duo worked so well in this movie that it’s quickly rising to the top of my buddy movie list.
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Chan and Tucker were a great odd couple as well, SZ. Agreed!
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It’s just so much that any faults to be found, I was able to look past. Nice review.
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Thanks, Dan O. Appreciate the kind words. It’s satisfying to actually like a movie these days, you know?
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this sounds like great fun and i love buddy movies. my fav buddy movie was the will ferrell and mark wahlberg one, (can’t think of the name right now ))), where they drove the prius around. – my fav russell movie was ‘a beautiful mind.’
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Russell was great in ‘A Beautiful Mind,’ indeed, Beth. And the Will-Wahlberg movie was ‘Stepdad’ I’m pretty sure. 🙂
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Would I watch this movie? Maybe if I could during a free-bee weekend with DIRECT TV. I wouldn’t pay to watch it. I go to the real movie theater about once a year, if that. I just watched a YouTube video of his top ten movies and realized I have only see a few. I really liked A BEAUTIFUL MIND and GLADIATOR. I’d like to see the several of his other films though, and will eventually.
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I like the freebie weekends on DTV as well, Lorraine. I record from the premium channels and stack up my DVR. 🙂
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More fun because I remember the smog scare on the East coast and the advent of the catalytic converter, Paul. 🙂
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Sounds like fun Mark.
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Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.. A flawless movie.
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There you go, Mr. Mark.
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