So you take a couple of Nice Guys put them together, take them to back the 1970s and throw in some amazing 70s music, a few cliches and some comedy to boot and what do you get, you get the brilliant and funny, The Nice Guys with Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe.
So the characters in the title of the movie, who maybe the worst detectives ever, are thrown together into the world of the LA porn industry, no wait hang on a minute it’s not one of ‘those’ movies, while they are working on sperate investigations. Holland March (played by Ryan Gosling) and Jackson Healy (played by Russell Crowe) are chalk and cheese when it comes to their characters.
March is a down-on-his-luck, wise-craking, private eye in 1977 Los Angeles, who is being taken care of by his daughter, the scene-stealing and brilliant Holly (played by Angourie Rice). The very different and ass-kicking Healy is a hired enforcer and debt collector who makes a living from hurting people in his own brutal way and boy does he enjoy what he does for a living.
So during their separate investigations March and Healy pair up and become the most unlikely of partners after a young woman named Amelia (played Margaret Qualley) mysteriously vanishes after the production of her “experimental artistic film”. The pair soon learn that there some dangerous people looking for Amelia and a lot of people involved are turning up dead!
The Nice Guys – Lethal Weapon of the 1970s
The Nice Guys is very much like a Lethal Weapon movie and considering that the Director/Writer, Shane Black, did bring us Lethal Weapon then you can see the connection. But this isn’t a bad thing, the formula works, Gosling and Crowe work brilliantly together on screen, with plenty of comedic buddy moments to make you laugh. The film is an action-packed fun-fest, ok the story doesn’t ooze with originality, but in today’s movie world of CGI, hand-held camera horror movies and prequels/reboots/remakes, the film is a refreshing change and damn it’s funny.
The movie has a great cast that all work well together, which a must to make a movie work, we really need more movies like this (not too many though Hollywood!), it kind of reminds me of going back to the 80s when we had the likes of the brilliant Beverly Hills Cop and other buddy cop movies, ah those were the days.
If you want to see a wise-cracking Ryan Gosling (with a 70s moustache) and an ageing Russel Crowe that can still show that he has what it takes to be a tough guy (imagine an older version of Bud White from L.A. Confidential), then The Nice Guys is the move for you, heck if you want to something funny to watch then, give this movie a go.
The Nice Guys is out on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital now.
The Nice Guys comes to Blu-ray
Movie title: Nice Guys
Movie description: In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.
Date published: September 23, 2016
Director(s): Shane Black
Actor(s): Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
