Warner Bros. films usually warn America about upcoming catastrophes . . .

Rating: 8/10 (31 May 2016)

. . . long BEFORE the fact, not decades AFTER the shark's been jumped. However, at first glance THE NICE GUYS seems to be chewing cud already masticated in the 1900s, as alcoholic drug-addled Califorians plot to eliminate the U.S. Middle Class by replacing the Classic Cars of Detroit (such as Mustangs, Corvettes, Continentals, Caddies, GTO's, and Chargers) with an Invasion of Axis Imports from America's Revenge-Minded Enemies of World War Two, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan. As each Trojan Horsepower takes a hundred bucks out of a True Blue American's pocket (or $20,000 plus per vehicle), THE NICE GUYS documents how civil order breaks down, with everyone at risk of Death by Random Gunshot, as bodies rain down from the rooftops (unless they're burned up in arson fires or Smushed by killer foreign cars first). Ryan Gosling's character drives a German Mercedes here. The script for THE NICE GUYS is sprinkled with references to Hitler, since Adolph is having the "last laugh" now. Perhaps Warner's warning is that if you think things have been bad the last 50 years, just wait and see how much WORSE things will get with a One Per Center Secretive Billionaire representing the Trilaterals in the White House!