Pleasant 70s-era crime caper: Angourie Rice steals the movie

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 2016)

"The Nice Guys" (2016 release; 116 min.) brings the story of a couple of private eyes looking for a missing girl. As the movie opens (to the tune of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"), we are reminded that it is "Los Angeles, California, 1977". Before we know what hit us, a car comes flying around the corner, crashing into a house and killing its driver, whom we later learn is Misty Mountains, an adult film star. We the get introduced to Holland March, a private eye who is down on his luck, and separately also to Jackson Healy, the guy you call on "to bring a message". It's not long before Healy is hired to "bring a message" to March. At that point we're a good 10 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: first, this is the latest movie from writer-director Shane Black, who previously brought us Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, among many others. Here Black takes us back to the golden era of police and private eyes dramas and film noir, but with a never missing smile (or is that smirk) on his face. Second, don't worry about the insanely complicated story line, in which I got lost in no time. Instead, enjoy this movie for the many outstanding performances: Ryan Gosling (as March) brings comedy to the screen like I've never seen him do before (the 'bathroom' scene is destined to become a classic). Russell Crowe (as Healy) plays it rough and gruff, the perfect counterpart to Gosling's role (the ying and the yang), so in that respect, this is a great "buddy" movie. But with all due respect to Gosling and Crowe, the movie is stolen by newcomer Angourie Rice, who plays Merch's 13 yr. old daughter Holly. She seems like is was born to play in movies, that's how natural she comes across. Surely this is only the beginning of a long career for this young lady. Kudos also to the set designers, who did an outstanding job recreating what 1977 looked like (the "Jaws 2" poster, Tower Records, etc. ), And last but not least, there is an overabundance of outstanding music from that era featured throughout the movie, from the opening sounds of The Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" to when Al Green's outstanding "Love and Happiness" plays over the movie's end credits.
The movie opened nationwide this weekend. Having seen the trailer a number of times, I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended nicely (but nowhere close to sold out). If you are in the mood for a 70s-era crime and buddy movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, you cannot go wrong with this. "The Nice Guys" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!