Absolutely hilarious!

Rating: 8/10 (2 June 2020)

Apart from Iron Man 3, I haven't seen Shane Black's other work but after seeing this film I definitely want to explore his filmography further.
The Nice Guys follows private investigator Holland March and tough guy Jackson Healy who team up to find a girl named Amelia and solve the mysterious death of famous porn star, Misty Mountains.
This is a movie that people don't make nowadays and I love how Shane Black decided to revisit a genre of film that became really popular in the 80s and 90s. A buddy cop film in this generation could've easily gone wrong but Black made it work. The 70s atmosphere feels very nostalgic and memories of films like Lethal Weapon start flooding in. The script by Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi is extremely witty and funny. The jokes aren't cheap and the overall amount of them keeps you engaged till the end. The plot is very absurd but it feels right for a film that doesn't take itself that seriously. Aside from Black's script and direction, there are two more reasons to see this film.
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are superb onscreen together. They have a great amount of chemistry and make each scene all the more funny. I'm used to seeing Gosling do serious roles but this film shows his capability as a comedic actor. His comic timing is brilliant and without a doubt the highlight of the film. Russell Crowe's character is far more serious which plays a great contrast to Gosling. The action scenes involving him are enjoyable to watch. Another star is Angourie Rice who's really entertaining as Gosling's daughter. The only person I'm conflicted about is Margaret Qualley. I think she could have been better.
The Nice Guys is a fun way to spend two hours of your life. The film's jokes and gags are absolutely hilarious and the cast make it even better. It's great to see a revival of the buddy cop genre. I hope Shane Black makes a sequel because this looks like a promising series.