Solid fun has strong performances, but uneven plot.
THE NICE GUYS takes place in 1970s Los Angeles, when down-on-his-luck private eye Holland March (Gosling) and hired enforcer Jackson Healy (Crowe) must work together to solve the case of a missing girl and the seemingly unrelated death of a porn star. During their investigation, they uncover a shocking conspiracy that reaches up to the highest circles of power.
This is a very enjoyable film, I haven’t laughed out loud so much in a cinema for a while. This comes down to the energy and commitment from leading men Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe. Both actors have mastered the art of both physical and verbal comedy and it is really most enjoyable. Some of the visuals are less pleasing, with bad fight sequences and occasionally weak CGI backdrops. The script is lacking, with the mystery being not that hard to crack - but the actors’ performance makes up for it.
Overall a lot of fun, I enjoyed myself immensely - but leave your brain at the door.
4 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment
Comments