Nice and funny!

Rating: 8/10 (9 June 2016)

Director Shane Black (Lethal Weapon and LW2) proves an action genre writer, given a good script and top actors, can bring life to a story surrounding a couple of bumbling private eyes (Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling). Set in the 1970's, the costumes (Kym Barrett) and environment (Danielle Berman, Richard Brigand and David Utlfey) provide Crowe and Gosling all the leeway they need to take their crazy loose cannon characters across the LA landscape in search of Amelia (Margaret Qualley - The Leftovers), with little Holly (Angourie Rice) as the grown-up of the trio. While initially hard to believe Crowe (with a mature body) and the sexy Gosling in such nutty roles, they quickly and easily pull you into their kooky topsy-turvy world, even when the storyline goes to far or gets off track. Matt Bomer (American Horror Story) gives a fun cameo, and Kim Basinger is a glow in her many soft-lit appearances. "The Nice Guys" isn't brain surgery. However, it is filled with many good on liners, a fun script, great costumes, goofy best-bud-banter and a lot of heart.